Silent Hill
by Jorden the Jynx
Summary: Yeah, I do believe that the title says it all. However, only the first few chapters take place in Silent Hill. I did say something about an insane crossover. Well, it's not listed as a crossover because the majority of the story takes place in Yu Yu Hakusho. Don't hate quite yet. Please R&R. You might like it. I know I find it interesting.
1. Prologue

**Hey, everyone! This is just an explanation of my current OC for my Silent Hill 4: The Room/Yu Yu Hakusho crossover fanfiction. Crazy crossover, right? But I wrote this years ago and I'm telling you guys that it will be interesting to say the least. Hope you enjoy it! R&R NO FLAMES PLEASE!**

* * *

**General Info.**

**Name: **Tamara

**D.O.B.: **17 October

**Age: **21 Years

**Origin: **Unknown; Wish House Orphanage

**Residence:** South Ashfield Heights Apartments, Room 205

**Hair Color: **Black (Day)

**Eye Color: **Grey (Day)

**Race: **Mixed (Caucasian/African)

**Height: **5'1" (155 cm)

**Weight: **100 lbs (10 lbs. underweight) (45.36 kg)

**Appearance: **By day, the trustworthy lost one. By night, a strange creature. Usually found in Hospital or Apartment World.

**Skills: **Decent with guns, master with melee weapons

**Status: **Monster of Ashfield

**Bio: **Tamara was not born in South Ashfield or even Silent Hill. There is no proof of where she was born or who her real parents are. She was taken in by the Wish House Orphanage, where she was forced into the Order's religious beliefs. She grew up in the time after the "death" of serial killer Walter Sullivan.

At age thirteen, Tamara ran away from the orphanage, going through the first stages of adolescent rebellion after being branded with the mark of the Order, called "the Halo of the Sun." She somehow wandered into the Otherworld through the subway station, where she met the new, resurrected Walter.

Walter, being a firm follower of the Order, almost returned Tamara to the orphanage, but other human intelligence was hard to come by in the Otherworld. Instead of taking her back or even sacrificing her for the Twenty-One Sacrements, he turned the young girl into one of his creatures and vowed that one day he would share his "mother" with her.

Tamara was untouchable by the other beasts that roamed. South Ashfield, however, was not untouchable by the curse that rendered Silent Hill. Alessa's dark mind consumed the Otherworld and combined it with her own when the girl was sixteen.

The towns were separate but very similar. Alarms sounded at sundown and things began to change. (In other words, people, it became a lot like Silent Hill.) Alessa stayed away, and the only real new monster was Pyramid Head, the bogeyman who could actually speak through telepathy, as if his brain was still there.

Tamara has spent most of her new life luring victims into her own Silent Hill, whether it be for Walter's sacrifices or for her own consumption at nightfall. She would always get to know her victims, asking where they were from and what that place was like, and how many places they'd seen in a lifetime. She was always so curious about what it was like outside of the Otherworld and the Order and the pain. Wondered if everyone across the globe was like Walter Sullivan.


	2. Chapter One: Enter Tamara

**Chapter One: Enter Tamara.**

"No!" he exclaimed. However, he was running out of breath quickly. These were his last words. "I didn't… I didn't do… any… anything…"

"I know, sweetie." It always sounded strange for her to talk when she took on her transformation. To know she was one of the only intelligent monstrosities around. "You're just fun for me to play with."

He was gone soon after that. Her long, clawed fingers dripped with his blood, and her strange face was blotted with that and his flesh.

The sun would be rising soon. She didn't bother to dispose of the evidence of her deed. The others would finish it for her. She stood and, very much like a Nurse or a Smog, twitched her way back to her shadowy apartment.

It wasn't like she would burn away only to be reborn again. Taking on her human form for her deception was just embarrassing in public. She always went home first.

The apartment at night still freaked her out. She didn't like how Alessa had made the floors sheets of steel or the walls bleed. It wasn't frightening so much as it was uncomfortable.

She collapsed onto the cold steel floor in the remnants of her bedroom, hearing the alarm sound to signal the sunrise. Blank, white eyes stared at the dark, stained ceiling. She felt the tissues in her nose begin to grow back, and her skin began to tingle as it changed to its normal mocha color. Her lips began to reform as well, dangling flesh melting to nothingness as new flesh grew.

The closest thing to discomfort during her transformation was when her hair grew back. She kept it short, but it was still a very freaky process. The rose she kept in her hair de-fused from her skull and stopped its strange glowing. Grey irises began to become visible.

"This is disgusting," Tamara growled, sitting up and observing the blood on her now human hands. "Never again will I munch on a diabetic."

At least the apartment looked normal again, for the most part. She could take a shower and find some clean clothes.

She stared at her nude body in the full-length mirror hanging on the bathroom door. She was still just as thin as she was at night. Her ribs and hip bones protruded from her skin, and you could see much of her backbone. What she hated the most was how prominent her collarbone and shoulders were. There was muscle under her skin, yes, but there was hardly any fat to balance it out. The only thing that looked close to healthy were her legs, and that was only because she was on her feet a lot. She could tell her thighs were too thin, though. She was supposed to be bigger.

She grimaced at her reflection. She had to get a shower. She smelled like death. It took forever to get the water to be lukewarm, much less steaming hot. But the smell of decay was much more unpleasant when she was a human.

Today the stench was overwhelming. Damn diabetics. She jumped into the shower as soon as it was bearable, crying out from the shock of the cold. She was sure to get out quickly.

Tamara didn't leave until she had her makeup and her hair done. Even in a place like the Otherworld, she had to wear makeup. Perfect hair was just a bonus.

After all, Walter demanded it of her.

He also demanded that the young woman wear skimpy clothes, knowing she was much to thin to pull them off.

At this thought, Tamara said aloud, "I swear that man is a freak beneath that religious façade! With all the half-naked creatures around here, I wouldn't be surprised!" She smirked to herself. "I'd look so much better if I could eat, though."

_You're so dramatic._

Tamara turned around, searching the shadows of the apartment courtyard. No sign of him. She shrugged. "I'm not dramatic. Looking like a stick figure is not what I want."

_He thinks you look fine._

"Are you gonna face me or what?" She stopped dead in her tracks, raising an eyebrow. "I know you're not dragging your butter knife around today."

A spear flew her way, but she easily slid down onto her knees. She had been playing this game for way too long.

_It's not a butter knife, Tamara._

"Would you like me to update? Because that's all it is to me."

She could feel Pyramid Head's frustration. He sauntered over without a care, the piece of great metal that was his head shaking from side to side.

_You can be such a bitch._

She grinned, taking the man's hand to get up. "I'm not a bitch, sweetie. I'm just honest."

_Well, your honesty won't get you anything to eat._

"I might be able to find some chocolate milk somewhere," she said, tapping her chin as she started to walk again. "They're everywhere."

The bogeyman followed. _That won't put any meat on your bones, kiddo._

"I'm not a kiddo," she snapped. "Outside of the Otherworld, I can do anything I want."

_You can do anything you want here, Tamara._

"Not really, I'm surprised I don't have to get Walter's permission to get something to eat."

They both laughed darkly. It was so very true, after all. Tamara was the only creature that needed permission to do anything, whether it be killing a male victim or leaving the Otherworld to steal real food or clothing.

"I'm going to ask him, you know," she said quietly. "I'm going to ask him if I can leave."

_He won't let you._

"He has to." Her eyes fell to the ground as they walked. "This is Alessa Gillespie's world, too. She's the one in control now."

Pyramid Head stopped. She turned and looked at him. "What'd I do now?"

_The Holy Mother will let you pass, but she will make sure you return._

"I don't want to leave forever," the woman answered. "I just want to get outta here for a little while."

_Then I suppose you can ask the Holy Mother, if your master doesn't agree._

"Walter Sullivan is not my master, dude."

The day continued on slowly. Tamara spent most of it watching that blasted Eileen and Henry. She really, honestly couldn't understand why Walter wouldn't let her seduce the man and lead him into a trap. It would be much easier than letting him make progress before further tormenting him.

Then again, a lot of the things Walter did didn't make sense. Sometimes she wondered if the serial killer was more of a retard than a mad genius. But she didn't say anything. It really wasn't her place to.

Even if she did hate that man. With everything that she could muster, she hated Walter Sullivan.

It was when Henry left to go back to his apartment that night fell in Forest World. Well, it fell everywhere. Tamara was just in Forest World at the time, taking care of one of her "chores." She sighed as her clothes simply burned away, almost in slow motion.

As her skin began to tingle, her flaming body made its way to a well, where she could watch her face. The grey in her eyes disappeared, leaving them blank and white. Her entire body paled until the point where it was almost blue, and her fingers elongated into knives that were rusted with blood. The petals of her rose took on a glow, and the young woman winced as the stem stabbed into her skull.

It was after she felt the cool petals against her scalp that her hair began to burn away, as well as her nose and her mouth. As her skin melted, her jaws stretched into a permanent gape, the melting flesh stretching and freezing there, leaving small places that led into her dark maw. A hole was left where her nose once was.

Tamara, in her new form, fell to her knees. Her eyes burned with tears she could no longer shed.

"You, my dear, are the most beautiful creature in the Otherworld."

Her throat burned with the thirst for blood. Walter's would have been convenient if it wasn't for the fact that he was immortal.


	3. Chapter Two: Walter's Decision

**Chapter Two: Walter's Choice.**

* * *

"Of course he said no, what do you think?" Tamara growled, scrubbing furiously at one of her shirts. It had blood on it. Again. Damn people.

_You know that you have other options._

"I don't want other options. I wish that for once he would just shut the hell up and let me do my thing. It isn't like I'd be gone forever!"

_What did he say, exactly?_

"I'll let you check it out."

She opened her mind to Pyramid Head, as she had done many times before, and continued on with the scrubbing of her shirt.

* * *

"_Hey, Walter, can I ask you something?"_

_She was nervous. What if he flipped out and decided to punish her? Or bind her to this world and never let her leave at all, not even to collect her lunch at nightfall? _

_Apartment World was quiet today. Henry must've been resting in his apartment in the real Ashfield… usually he was around. Roaming the Otherworld during the day was a lot safer, after all. _

"_Of course, dear Tamara," he said. "Do you need to go to South Ashfield? I've noticed that you're in need of new clothes."_

"_No, that's not what it is," she answered quickly. "I need a… a different kind of favor."_

"_Oh?"_

_Jeez, she wasn't sure if she could do this. But here goes nothing. _

"_I want to leave the Otherworld. And explore the real one."_

_He was silent for only a moment before the insane laughter filled her ears. Her heart dropped. He was going to simply mock her instead. _

"_Why would I let you leave, Tamara?" he asked her. "I'm to share my mother with you. Why would I let you go, when you might never get to come back and meet her?"_

"_Walter, I'll come back, I just want to-"_

"_No." He shook his head furiously, moving his shaggy hair about his face. "What if you die while you're out there? Or worse, what if you fall in love and decide you never want to come back?"_

"_I'm coming back, Walter." She wasn't a child anymore. She was twenty one. He couldn't do this to her. "This place is my home. I wouldn't leave here forever."_

"_You would forget about me," he said._

"_No, I promise, please, just for a little while."_

"_I let you go on the outside to travel to Silent Hill. That's all the real world that you need."_

_She felt tears coming, but she held them back. He wouldn't have the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Never again. "Walter."_

"_I said no, Tamara. I can't allow such a thing. Now go pray for forgiveness."_

_Her brief sadness turned to rage. "To what god, Walter? What do you expect me to pray to?"_

_Monsters began to appear then. Like nothing she'd ever seen before. It was almost frightening, if she wasn't used to something like these. But the way these creatures looked at her, the way they growled at her… _

_She pulled out her handgun on instinct. She had plenty of ammo at home. Even if she only used these bullets on invading humans, she would use them on her own kind. To prove her point. _

_He laughed at her then. "You owe me your life. Without me you would be dead, Tamara. And you know that. Don't do anything you'll regret."_

"_I wouldn't be dead, Walter. Stop acting like you know me!"_

_Hot tears that she couldn't control ran down her face. She couldn't hold them back. _

"_I know you better than you know yourself."_

_**Pop. Pop. Pop.**_

_The man in the coat didn't even flinch. His bright eyes never faltered their gaze. Fear began to take over. Her brain told her to run, maybe he would forget it even happened. But then again, maybe he wouldn't…_

_Her legs wouldn't move. She looked at him, almost dropping her gun. She couldn't even move to reload it. _

_She couldn't breathe. It was hurting her lungs so much that more tears ran down without her even thinking about it. _

_He had a gun of his own. A magnum. How could she forget about that? How? He was going to kill her. _

_Sure enough, it was pressed against her forehead before she could even think about it. "As long as you're mine, I'll never let you get out of here. I'll kill you for real before I let you go."_

_**Pow.**_

* * *

_He shot you!?_

"Not in the face, thankfully," she said, gulping down another health drink. "It did wonders, though. It hurt. I had to find a first aid kit and even that wasn't enough. That's why I stayed low last night. Even during my transformation, I was healed pretty bad."

_Well, maybe you'll be ready by tomorrow_.

"Ready for what?" Now she was curious.

_Tomorrow, I'll be expecting to meet you in Silent Hill_.

"Oh, Silent Hill, eh?" she scoffed, then looked to the ground. She was clutching her chest. Ugh, that bullet was going to leave a scar. "I don't think your Holy Mother would appreciate the fact that I blasphemed."

_She cares not. She didn't ask to be a god. Even if she is a wonderful ruler_.

Tamara almost laughed. Yes, a wonderful ruler. _We kill outsiders and members of the cult who raised me and Walter up_, she thought. But at least she had fun. Killing was, in a way, her way of venting.

_Don't bring anything with you. Some of those creatures are born thieves._

"Embodiment of sin, sweetie. Just like the rest of them."

_Oh? And what sin are you, Tamara?_

She didn't know the answer to his question, so she shrugged. "Probably lust, you know."

_You're hardly lust._

She laughed. "I seduce people and then gobble them up when the sun goes down, dude. There has to be lust in there."

_Point_.

* * *

He was gone a few hours after that. She was smoking a cigarette, watching the afternoon sun go down at its slow pace, holding a blanket about her shoulders.

She enjoyed sex with Pyramid Head. The bogeyman knew what he was doing, minus having a head anyway. But that was alright. She didn't have to kiss him to be attracted to him. It was just one of those things.

The two kept it casual, for physical pleasure only. There was no discussion. When one of them wanted it, the other was always there. And if not… well, there were always nurses around for Pyramid Head. For Tamara, it was always a little more complicated. Just slightly.

"Hard to believe I've never been kissed," she said aloud. "I let monsters have sex with me, but not a damn one of them have a human mouth."

She didn't laugh at this dark piece of information. If she ever made it to the outside, no one would ever know. It was just nice to have some stimulation that wasn't herself. Even if it meant the disgusting things she had to deal with. She needed pleasure just as much as they did.

As she looked out into the fog, she saw a pair of Sniffer Dogs. Did they have puppies? Did everyone really have a family except her? Even the room about her was the "mother" of the psychopath who was in charge around here. But it was occupied by the wonderful Henry, who could only see her when he wandered outside of his little sanctuary.

She took out her gun, shooting at the wall four times before picking up her crowbar and taking out her windows. Usually she wouldn't trash her apartment, but this time it just seemed right.

She had nothing, no one. It drove her insane. Pyramid Head was her friend, but if she ever wanted a family… There was no way in hell she was popping something like _that_ out of her. Hell no.

She stayed inside to treat her wound that night. She didn't even have to leave to have a woman who had wandered too far walk into her apartment. Tamara, being so clever, hid in the bedroom closet until the woman sat on the bed to cry.

Then the monster struck, knowing that this woman would heal her well enough to travel in the morning.

Travel to Silent Hill, and then to get the hell out of here.


	4. Chapter Three: Alessa Gillespie

**Chapter Three: Alessa Gillespie.**

* * *

Alchemilla Hospital wasn't forbidden, per say, but Tamara had to leave the Otherworld to get to the real Silent Hill. Even if the wicked place had consumed Walter's Otherworld, both places were very different. Ashfield, for the most part, stayed the same.

Tamara enjoyed going to Ashfield. Well, the real Ashfield. It was a privilege given to her by Walter only so she could get clothes, but she had to return by nightfall. If she didn't, she would transform and be unable to change back until returned to Walter. That was a part of the hold he had on her.

When she was in reality, people looked at Tamara strangely. It was probably because of how thin she was, among other things. Her hair was very dark and curly, skin the color of caramel, just like any other young mixed girl. Yet her eyes were a bright grey, so much that she was thought blind by some.

_It's probably my weight, though_, she reassured herself. Normal people weren't this gaunt or boney. But in the Otherworld, food and proper nutrition was scarce. In the Otherworld, to be normal meant consuming the flesh and blood of the ones who stumbled in by accident.

She took the subway to the place nearest Silent Hill before walking the rest of the way. It was almost midday when she arrived. It was easy for her to find her way to enter the world Alessa Gillespie ruled and be out of the real ruins of the broken town.

The fog was almost familiar, but she knew it wasn't the same. She could chant herself back to Ashfield in grave danger, but for now she belonged here.

It was when she heard the scraping against the ground that she felt at home. She almost flung herself at Pyramid Head, who seemed much more casual in his home territory.

_Don't worry about anything here_, he said to her. _The Holy Mother and the Assumption both know._

That made her stop her casual pace. "Walter knows I'm here?" she asked. She could feel panic rising in her throat, something she hadn't felt in a long time.

_Calm down. The Assumption thinks you are scavenging before night._

She looked around briefly before they continued. A snack did sound nice, but it would have to wait. She had to ask Alessa to let her go. To let her get out of this god-forsaken dimension.

Maybe then she could eat like she was a normal person.

Together Tamara and the Bogeyman walked through Silent Hill, passing by frightened Order members. Nightfall was only dragging closer by the time Tamara had walked into Alchemilla Hospital.

_You go alone now_, Pyramid Head had told her at the entrance. _The Holy Mother wants to see you alone._

Tamara had never been alone with Alessa before, but she had been intimidated upon meeting her. Never had the young woman felt such power or strength.

Or hatred. Or sadness. Fear.

Tamara pushed the button on the elevator, surprised that it actually worked. Alessa was making it easy for her. Either she was merciful, or there would be a surprise soon.

On the ride, Tamara got to thinking about Alessa and who she really was.

_This is where they put her, huh?_ she thought to herself. _The embodiment of a god and she is placed in the basement of a hospital._

She knew the story. She knew of the woman Dahlia Gillespie, Alessa's mother. She'd worked at the Wish House in Walter's time.

Alessa's mother was a leader of one of the sects in the Order. If Tamara wasn't mistaken, it was the Holy Mother sect. But she could be wrong. There wasn't any telling, anyway. Her daughter Alessa had been born with all of the prophetic powers given to the woman who would give birth to their god, who would then take all believers with her to Paradise.

Alessa had never been loved, only used. Tamara almost felt pity. The girl had been picked on at school, called a witch and a freak because she was different and she didn't have a father. It wasn't her fault. Then again, it could have been her mother's. Dahlia had always seemed a bit off, or that's what Tamara had heard. She raised Alessa with the strictness of the Wish House, but with a more severe punishment. That was her daughter, after all. Even if she didn't deserve to give birth in the first place.

Dahlia, in an insane attempt to sacrifice her own child, set her own house on fire and performed a ritual while Alessa slept. The child lived, only to be impregnated with the Order's god and locked into solitude in the basement of Alchemilla Hospital. They'd faked the poor girl's death so they could watch the god's progress, bribing the doctor and nurse with drugs and who knows what to get what they wanted.

The poor thing eventually had enough. She used the powers of the god inside of her. She consumed the nasty little town of Silent Hill for what it was: the physical realm of hell. Alessa turned Silent Hill into her own nightmare, releasing monsters from her most bitter dreams and thoughts onto members of the Order and even civilians. She just wasn't able to take it anymore. All of that anger was bound to drive someone insane.

Was Tamara going to be driven mad? Was Alessa going to release something terrible on her?

She cursed herself. Her handgun was back at her apartment.

It was upon the stilling of the elevator that she felt the Holy Mother's aura. She stepped out, only to feel the fires of Hell beneath her. She took on her transformation then, her hair burning away and her irises disappearing quicker than normal.

"Come to me, Tamara," a voice said. The young woman could feel the kindness, but she dared not forget the power. "I know you wish to speak with me."

Tamara walked, the mark of the Order on her shoulder burning painfully. She groveled in front of the god before her, praying Alessa wouldn't shun her away.

"Holy Mother, I wish to leave the Otherworld," she said. "I know you rule my guardian's domain in Ashfield. I ask you to release me."

Alessa was quiet. She moved her dark hair to one side, revealing a burn mark that never quite healed.

"You bear the mark of my enemies."

Tamara swallowed, her throat burning from the bloodlust. "You may burn it from my skin, your Holiness." Her eyes closed, readying herself for the pain.

The pain of either being branded again, or being rejected by a goddess in the flesh.

She heard Alessa laugh, and looked up. The woman smiled at Tamara, holding out her hand.

"Stand, Tamara," she said. "I know you hate sucking up to people."

Tamara sighed with relief. She really did hate being a suck up. But she had to do what she had to do. Her blank eyes and noseless face showed the hint of a smile.

"Now then, what do you want?"

"I want to be a part of the real world, Alessa," the young woman answered. "I can't do this anymore. I've been in the Otherworld for too long. I want away from Walter."

The goddess tapped her chin with her finger, thinking. She stayed like this for a few minutes before her eyes darkened.

_Oh, shit_, Tamara thought. _I was too early on just calling her "Alessa," wasn't I?_

"You wish to leave this nightmarish realm and start a new life?"

"No, I need a break."

Alessa laughed again. As far as Tamara had been told, it was rare for the other woman to even smile. Her laughter gave Tamara chills, and not the good kind.

"Please, Alessa," Tamara continued, "we all know you're in control of the Otherworld. I need out."

Alessa shook her head. "There are consequences to everything I do, Tamara. I cannot give you the perfect vacation."

"It doesn't have to be perfect!" Tamara could feel the rose implanted into her skull flash for a moment before returning to its normal glow. "I just want out! I'll transform, I don't care! I'll even spread the word of the-"

"_Do not speak of them here!_"

Tamara cringed back. She could feel the power in the Holy Mother's voice. She really did hate the Order. "I-I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Alessa didn't speak for a long while. Tamara kept speaking, however. She told Alessa about Walter and his fantasy, how he was a fanatic in the Order just like Dahlia.

It was Dahlia's name that made the room nightmarish. Well, this place wasn't so much of a room as it was Nowhere. They were no longer a part of the hospital. Even though Tamara could tell that the sun would rise soon, her transformation actually only worsened. She felt her bones growing and stretching her already melting skin, threatening to break through at any moment.

"I can only let you leave for one year," she said finally, turning to face Tamara. "I will send you to a place where I know there are people who are also in tune with not only monsters but creatures of other dimensions as well."

Tamara nodded, balling her clawed hands into fists to hide her joy.

"You will be weak once you arrive," she continued, " but no less strong once you rest. Any time you wish to come back before your year is up, you may, but you have to never return there."

Tamara nodded again. She really just wanted out. Out of South Ashfield. Out of the Otherworld.

"Every seven days you will have to become the creature you are before me," the goddess still continued. "Walter created this form and your nature. This nature will return." Her eyes darkened. "Do not forget to feed, Tamara, in this form. Or you will die."

This made the fear rise in the monster's burning throat. She knew she could die. But to not feed in he monster form and die of starvation?

"You should go back to your home and get a few things," Alessa said, breaking her thoughts after a few moments' silence. "You never know what you will need here that isn't in the real world."

Flames appeared behind the woman, followed by a plain white door. Tamara's apartment number, 205, was on it in rusted letters.

"When you walk outside again, you will be in an all new world. Make sure you're ready."

"I will," the monster said, moving behind Alessa to open the door. She could feel her human form coming back to the surface as her claws moved to turn the doorknob.

It was almost as if Tamara could feel actual affection coming from Alessa, almost like the goddess pitied her.

As Tamara entered her apartment and took the slow transformation back into her human form, that's all she could think about. How the Holy Mother, Alessa Gillespie, had been so merciful.

She was probably merciful because she knew that the Order was the only thing that Tamara knew.

Being an orphan in the Wish House had never been easy. The beliefs of the Holy Mother sect were beaten into the children and they made sure the kids were weird enough to make sure that very few were adopted.

Tamara would have never been adopted. Walter never had been. But she wasn't like Walter. She wasn't in the Order.

Yes, she bore the mark. That was the last crime those bastards ever committed towards her. It was then that she'd ran away.

Tamara was quick to pack. Her only bag was a drawstring backpack that she sometimes casualy carried. She chocked it full of chocolate milks and health drinks, handgun ammo, a Purity candle, a few outfits she had, and a pocket knife. She strapped her handgun to her thigh.

She tried to wear something a little less revealing, but that didn't always work for her limited wardrobe, as Walter always did her clothes shopping.

She found a knee length skirt with a high slit on the right side, and a white long sleeved top.. The cut of the shirt, however, was very low. She didn't bother to put on any shoes. They all were very worn. She would just steal a pair when she got to the real world.

After making sure she had everything, including some photos of the monsters (one of her victims had been a photographer), Tamara swallowed her nervousness and opened the apartment door.


	5. Chapter Four: The Girl in Ashes

**Chapter Four: The Girl in Ashes.**

Yusuke and Kuwabara ran quickly towards the downtown area. The watch on the Spirit Detective's wrist was going absolutely haywire.

"This sure is a lot of energy," Kuwabara breathed as he ran beside the Spirit Detective. "Who on earth could that be?"

"I dunno," Yusuke answered. "But it came out of nowhere. Something must've found a wormhole in the Mekkai."

The two teens could feel the energies of their friends, the demons Kurama and Hiei, close by. They must've felt it, too. A gateway to the Demon World opening, letting a demon sneak in. that meant that this creature had to be a sneaky one.

On the buildings above, Kurama and Hiei raced with their demonic speed, following their noses and spirit senses.

"I don't like the way this energy feels, Hiei," said the kitsune. "It's more tainted than anything I know."

As if on a cue, like realizing it was suspicious, the taint in the energy greatly decreased. Still tainted, but much of the evil was gone.

"Hn," Hiei said. "They're probably manipulating their energy. Maybe they've realized that they're coming to their death soon."

"Yes, it seems as though it has realized that we are coming."

The race for downtown ended quickly for the small fire demon and the kitsune, but the latter insisted they wait on their human companions.

It wasn't long before they showed up, but they were slightly breathless. Hiei moved on to find the energy, becoming "curiouser and curiouser," as a young cartoon girl would say. Something in his body felt strange. It was almost as if he was attracted to the energy they were heading toward.

He and Kurama exchanged looks. The fox demon felt it, too.

Somewhere in Silent Hill, Alessa Gillespie was grinning, Pyramid Head pouring her wine and her nurse Lisa Garland combing her singed hair. This was going to be an interesting year, especially when Walter Sullivan found out his second obsession was gone.

They were very close. Yusuke could feel it. They were approaching an old apartment complex, one that had burned down exactly a week before. All residents had gone missing, but there were no remains. No evidence.

There, among the ruins of the building, there was a still-solid door frame. The door was swung open.

The four slowed down. There was no telling what they were up against. It coud be some weak class C demon, or something like they'd faced in the Dark Tournament or even in Demon World. The four of them could easily take on one demon, but they had to be cautious.

Hiei looked around. He could feel it, and yet the creature was nowhere to be seen.

It wasn't until the opening in the doorway burst into flames that they started to worry. Dark flames, but not those of the Spirit world that Hiei used in his technique. The air began to stink of burning human flesh.

Hiei had his hand on the hilt of his sword. Whatever appeared from that fire, he was ready for it.

A long, thin hand extended outward from the flames. The comrades tensed. An arm followed shortly after. A woman eventually stepped from the flame.

The boys' eyes widened. She was beautiful, but her face and body were so gaunt that you couldn't tell. Her skin tone was naturally da4k, like a cappuccino color, but again her body was so malnourished she looked ill. Her eyes were pale grey and strong and bright. She had curly, curly hair that was thick and down just below her shoulders.

She stumbled, the bag on her shoulders falling to the ground. Her full lips turned into a small smile.

"I guess someone did hear my warning," she said with a laugh. "After I-" A yawn. "-take a nap, you can question me all you please…"

Yusuke went to ask a question, but Hiei struck his attack at that point. The girl stood, with her eyes closed, almost out cold. But she caught Hiei's sword with the palms of her hands. She looked at him like he were just a fly she was swatting away.

"You're rude," she said wearily. Hiei growled. "I'll fight you after I sleep, I promise."

That said, the young woman fell sideways into the ashes, snoring softly. Almost reminded Yusuke of himself before the Dark Tournament.

Hiei snorted. This creature that had had him so worked up was a human, hardly worth his time. Even if her energy was demonic, it wasn't worth it.

_Wait,_ he thought. _Demon energy? Doesn't that mean she's not really human at all?_

Kurama sighed. "Leave it to Hiei to attack the new girl."

` "New girl!?" Kuwabara exclaimed, his eyes wide. "You make it sound like sh'ell be joining our group!"

God, his voice irked the fire demon. He almost said something until Kurama continued, "She may. But she's obviously human, and you can tell she's been in a bad spot for some time."

"We have too many girls in our group as it is," Yusuke said after a moment's silence. "Between Keiko and Kuwabara, I'd say I have enough females to worry about."

He started to laugh hysterically. Kuwabara blushed and cursed. Kurama, all businesslike, walked over to the woman and picked her up out of the ashes.

"Is she going home with the Spirit Detective, or with the fool?"

This question stopped the bickering between the teens. They looked at each other and shrugged.

"Why don't you take her to a hospital?" Hiei continued, his voice a snarl. "She's obviously a weak creature. Neither of them will be able to care for her."

"Unless Yukina is coming back today, as she said she would be," Kurama retorted, a smirk on his face.

Yukina's name always struck a chord in the mind of the fire demon. He always got a little more quiet when his little sister was around. Not that she knew who he was, anyway. But Kurama had a point. It was better if the general population didn't know about this strange woman, human or apparition. There was no telling what would happen once she woke up. Especially if she was looking to fight.

Hiei observed her closely while she lay slumbering in Yusuke's bed. She was covered in ashes, so much that it almost looked frightening.

Kurama took a damp cloth to her face. When the ashes were gone, her skin was very dark indeed. The paleness of her skin wasn't from illness, but almost like she had a second layer of ashes on her skin.

She'd been in ashes before she walked through that door.


	6. Chapter Five: Waking Up

**Chapter Five: Waking Up.**

* * *

_Tamara walked through her apartment door, her shoulders shaking with nervousness. _

The real world,_ she thought_. I'm finally getting out_._

_As she shut the door behind her, she took a look around. The walls of the apartment complex were moving, like slow waves on the water. She dared not touch them, for her life, body and soul, could be absorbed by this Otherworld._

_She felt no other presence. No one was in the building with her. She mad her way to the first floor slowly, and walked out without hesitation._

* * *

The girl in the bed turned over.

The Spirit Detective jumped. He'd just been coming in to get clothes before he showered. The girl hadn't moved in almost seven whole days. And now she'd… she'd turned over!

"Guys!" he called to his friends, who were watching TV in the living room. "She's alive!"

* * *

_The flames didn't burn. They weren't even hot. They just stank. It was like these were the very flames that had burned the Holy Mother's flesh away years ago. _

_She walked through the fire with ease, trying not to inhale the scent too easily. Ashes fell from the sky, a very common thing in Silent Hill. She knew she would look a mess and laughed at the thought. What a way to enter the real world. _

_There waws an open door ahead of her. She hesitated then, but she wasn_

_T sure why. A whole year without Walter sounded wonderful, but a year without her new friend Pyramid Head? The Sniffer Dogs? The Patients in Hospital World?_

_She sighed. She wanted this. Abandoning her world was the only way. They would understand. They had to. _

_She sent a warning with her spirit outside the door, telling whoever could hear that she was on her way, even if she did have some distance before she got there. And then it was all a blank._

* * *

She was tossing and turning now. The group watched her curiously. None of them had tried to wake her, only to check to make sure she was breathing.

"This is so creepy," Kuwabara said quietly. "She's just wigglin' around like a fish outta water."

"Maybe she's having a nightmare," Kurama said quietly. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"Yeah, well she needs to wake up," Yusuke said. "I've let her sleep in _my_ bed for seven days. I'm ready to ask some questions."

Kurama walked out of the room, mumbling something about food and water when she awakens. Yusuke stood there, deep in thought.

He should have told Botan and Koenma about her. It was his job. But something in the back of his head told him not to, that one of them needed her there.

"She just needs to be woken up," the fire demon growled, cracking his knuckles. "I'll do it. I have a score to settle with this one, anyway.

It seemed that his statement had scared Yusuke and Kuwabara, as they quietly swallowed and left the room. Hiei, his frustration with the girl from their first encounter returning, picked her up by her very, _very_ low cut shirt. If he was interested in that, he would have looked (which he did, just a little), but he wanted her up. Yeah, she was sleeping, but she was coming around slowly but surely.

He began to shake her. "Wake up, weakling," he growled. "You've rested long enough. It's time to answer some questions."

It was strange how light she felt. The fire demon couldn't even fee her weight in his hand. She really was ill. That meant she would be starving when she woke up.

Well, if he didn't kill her first.

Shaking didn't do anything, and Hiei was tempted to knock her in the jaw. But he wanted to wait for the battlefield to do that. He let her go, her thin form bouncing onto the mattress. What was wrong with her? It had been a week since they found her, and all she's done is sleep.

He got closer to her, beginning to take off the white headband tied tightly to his forehead. His Jagan Eye could figure it out. That was something he knew for sure.

He looked down upon her. Nothing. _Damn it_, he thought, coming closer to her. She seemed so far away in his vision. He had to come closer, closer.

He was close to her face, growling slightly, inching all the closer to her. What the hell was she? Why couldn't he get into her mind?

* * *

_She was in a bed now, she knew that much. God, she felt dirty. She needed a shower. Yeah, one with hot water. _

_Who was in her face? And why were they snarling like some kind of animal? It wasn't her fault that she'd been sleeping for seven days. It was the first time she'd slept in…_

_Wait_, she thought, instantly awake. _Seven days!?_

Her eyes snapped open and she made a quick move to sit up in the bed. Her head collided with whoever was previously growling in her face.

The boy snarled and jumped off the bed, going to the other side of the room holding onto his forehead. Such a strange looking one, his ebony hair sticking up and wearing all black. His pain was clear in his crimson eyes.

Two more people ran into the room. They must've heard his skull crack against her own. They were yelling "Hiei!" and "Pipsqueak!"

_Hiei, huh? Interesting._

When they noticed that Tamara was conscious, they stared wordlessly for a few moments. She mustered up a nervous grin, before looking down at herself. She and the bed both were filthy with ashes.

"All right, miss, we don't want any trouble."

Tamara looked that boy over carefully. He was black-haired, too, but his hair was slicked back instead of sticking up. His eyes were brown, and he wore bleached jeans and a white tee shirt. His eyes were wide with what Tamara knew first hand were curiosity and fear.

"Hey," she replied with a smile. Her awakening thoughts were behind her, for the moment. "I'm Tamara. If you'd like, I'll wash this for you. I just need a shower first."

"I'd prefer it if you answered a few questions, first," he retorted. "After all, you've been sleeping in my bed for some time. I think I deserve at least to know how you got here."

The ugly ginger kid was looking at her funny. There was no way she could describe his hair, but it freaked her out. He was wearing a blue uniform.

"Sorry about the hibernation," she continued, ignoring Yusuke's question, "it's been about five years since I've slept, you see."

They kept staring at her as she began to take the sheets off the bed. This was a totally different world after all. Here she was, trying to be nice, and theyw ere just staring like she was insane. That was rude.

"who and what the hell are you?" a menacing voice asked.

Tamara stopped what she was doing to see this Hiei staring at her, a white headband across his forehead. She could feel energy about him, but it was somehow different than anything she'd felt a moment ago.

"I told you, I'm Tamara," she growled. She hoped she didn't have to see him again. "As for what I am, don't concern yourself. I'll clean up my mess and be on my way."

"I don't think that's a wise idea, Tamara."

She turned toward the door, only to flinch. A boy with long red hair and emerald eyes stood in the doorway, a bowl in one hand and a glass in the other.

He was powerful. And ancient. Tamara wasn't sure how she knew, but she did. She sat down on the bed again, eyes wide with fear.

His power was like that of the Holy Mother. The worst of kinds. And yet he kept them hidden, sealed away from coming to the surface. What gave her the ability to see these things?

She looked around at the four of them for the first time. They were all strong. What if they turned on her, deciding they couldn't trust her to live in their world? This wasn't Silent Hill, or the Otherworld. She couldn't take them on and just come back to life when the sun went down. At least, not in her current state of weakness.

"Don't be afraid," the boy said, walking over and holding the bowl out to her. "We aren't your enemy until you have proven to us that you are a threat."

She took the bowl gently. "Thanks," she said. God, that soup smelled good. And it had chicken in it. Real chicken. That was something she hasn't had in a good, long time either.

"I'm Kurama," he said. "I see you've met Hiei first. The one in the uniform is Kuwabara, and that other boy is Yusuke. We are the ones that found you when you came into our world."

She was listening, but she was too busy eating the soup in her hand to respond immediately.

"Well, thanks again," she said after a few more mouthfuls. It was delicious. "I guess I just would have slept… wherever I was… until someone else found me. I guess I'm glad it was you bunch."

"Where did you come from?" Yusuke asked. "You made my Spirit senses go crazy, you know. That demon energy was not something friendly to keep around."

"Demon energy?" she asked. "Well, I guess that makes sense. I didn't realize that some of Alessa's power would have come with me in that blast I sent to warn you guys."

"Alessa?" Kuwabara asked. "Who on earth is Alessa?"

Tamara took the glass from Kurama. God, pure water tasted good. "She's the Holy Mother, at least where I'm from."

"The Holy Mother?" Yusuke asked. "What, so she's the Virgin Mary of your world?"

"No," she snapped. "She is god. The only god. She's more powerful than any of you could be in your dreams."

"Hn," said the little red-eyed boy. "You give this 'god' too much credit, you fool."

Tamara sat up straighter. "You know nothing of my world. Nothing of the creatures there. So don't underestimate something you have no idea about."

She could tell that Hiei hated her smirk. He knew that she was right, though. He knew nothing of her. Not even what she was.

Kurama sat down on the bed beside her, but she could tell he was keeping her distance. "So, why don't you help us understand where you're from, Tamara?" he asked. "I myself am very curious of your origin."

She finished the soup and gulped down the water. "I'm sorry, Kurama, but I can't tell you everything right now." She had to get this bed cleaned up before the sun went down. "I'll tell you, I promise. I just can't at this moment."

Yusuke chuckled. "Hey, we get it, you just woke up," he said. "You can get comfortable, take your time and recover. You can tell us all about it tomorrow, okay?"

She smiled. "Thanks. I will."

* * *

Tamara decided that Kurama was the kindest, even if he had an ancient, dark power locked away inside him. She thought Yusuke was nice, even though he'd tried to interrogate her. At least he was giving her time. Kuwabara, the ugly one, simply gazed at her.

She hated Hiei. He glared at her every time she walked by and she would glare back.

It was almost sundown when she'd finished washing and drying Yusuke's sheets. She could feel her skin itching already. She had to leave soon.

"Why are you so skinny?" Kuwabara finally asked her. She was finishing up the bed. "Being that thin doesn't make you pretty, you know."

She turned to face him with dark eyes. She had to hold back a laugh when she noticed his fearful shudder. "It's not that you aren't pretty!" he said quickly. "I mean, my girlfriend is the one who treated you, you know, and I'm just saying that I don't think girls should starve themselves-"

She turned around, interrupting: "There's not a lot of food where I come from," she said. "You have searched my bag. Those medicinal drinks have been my major diet for a long time."

He didn't say anything. She closed her eyes. Tamara's throat was starting to burn, and that was not good. She had to leave. Even sooner.

"I hope you don't have to do that anymore," he said after a moment. "It's wrong."

She turned back to him. "It's alright, every now and then the outsiders would have food that I could take if I needed it." She forced a smile. "And then on my birthdays, Walter would always bring me some food, at least something to last me for a few days."

He left soon after, going into one of his silent stares. He would get used to it, if she was around for awhile.

She sat there, alone, for what seemed like forever. She eventually jumped out the window and took off, telling Yusuke that she was going to take a quick nap.

She made it to an inner-city alley just before her hair began to burn away.


	7. Chapter Six: Watching the Monster

**Chapter Six: Watching the Monster.**

* * *

Hiei knew better than to trust that stupid human girl. The Spirit detective didn't even bother to question her near enough. The fire demon couldn't believe Yusuke had said she needed to be "comfortable" before interrogation. More like he was giving her time to come up with a lie.

Hiei was smarter than that. She wasn't going to fool him.

Good thing he was alone, back in the dock buildings. He couldn't watch her with the idiots around.

He unraveled his Jagan Eye for the second time, focusing on the strange girl as he did so. Her curly black hair, her light grey eyes…

All his Jagan Eye saw was fire at first, and then darkness. He kept the vision going. Her diversions wouldn't stop him.

"_Oh, Holy Mother, I pray you have mercy upon myself and my actions. I know not what I do…"_

Was that Tamara praying? It didn't sound like her, not quite. The voice was deeper, darker.

The prayer went on. The creature prayed for mercy. Mercy on itself for its sins.

He wasn't getting anything out of this. Whatever "this" was. Where was Tamara? She had to be around. This wasn't her. The feeling he got was different. Almost like he should be afraid of what he would be seeing. Like it was a taboo to watch.

There was a slight change of perspective. Hiei could hear whistling. A drunk's footsteps stumbled down the street.

The creature's whole mood changed. Hiei could feel it. It went from miserable to almost overjoyed. He just wished it wasn't hiding itself so well. He wanted to see it. He almost shivered. He'd never even had an urge to kill _that_ strong.

He heard a laugh. A warm, flirtatious laugh from a woman., the footsteps stopped.

She laughed again, more like a giggle this time.

"Hey, it's dark out there, ain't it sweetie?" a male voice slurred. "Pretty girl like you don't need to be alone."

Hiei could see a silhouette of the woman he was talking to. She had her legs crossed. But he couldn't see the face at all. She was just thin. Too thin.

Like Tamara.

She laughed again, before saying, almost like a chant: "Really, I'm playing a game and need a new player." Hiei flinched. He swore he could tell the resemblance. But he could feel the evil in it. Evil that Tamara didn't have. "Would you like to join me? It's clothing optional.

The drunk laughed. Hiei shifted his vision. They were in a damp alley, probably downtown. The man's alcohol poisoning was so obvious that the fire demon could almost smell it. The female voice had no scent, just the sense of terror about it.

"Is ya gonna come out and show me yur pretty face?" he asked. Yes, he was quite drunk.

"You can see more if you come back here," she said from the shadows. "my clothes are already gone.

"That's what I'm talkin' 'bout." Hiei shook his head. What was she going to do with this man? Kill him for the joy of it?

And that was when he was reminded of himself. The days before he came to the Living World.

The man stumbled forward, grinning like an idiot. It was when he was close enough that the woman's giggle became a low, predatory snarl. Hiei almost had to pull himself back to reality at the sound.

Pale, clawed fingers that were abnormally long reached out from the shadows.

"Let's play."

Hiei's whole body shook. This demon was something totally, entirely different from anything he'd ever faced in his life. Its aura was more full of hate than even he was, and that was actually saying something. Hiei hated everything and everyone.

The man was gone almost instantly, his throat slashed neatly by the claws. The demon exposed itself soon after, and Hiei felt his stomach turn.

Eyes that were ony white looked down at its victim. It had no hair, only a rose sticking slightly out of its head. There was only a hole for a nose and its mouth agape, pieces of stretched flesh came from what would have been top to bottom lip. It was almost as if its own flesh had once sealed over its mouth.

Focusing on its body, Hiei almost blushed upon knowing this creature really was a female. A nude female. She was overly thin, flesh tight over prominent bones. There was a strange mark on her back, over one of her shoulder blades, but the demon couldn't see clear enough to tell exactly what it was.

The demon didn't bless her meal before she began. She went right to it, tearing the man's corpse apart and consuming him, even taking the time to lick his bones clean. She threw bones and parts she didn't want, such as the lungs and the liver, to the side near a dumpster.

Hiei noticed that her teeth were far back into her mouth, and that it never really closed. From a distance you would think that this monster was eating a person whole, without bothering to chew. But she was chewing.

The heart was last, she treated it like the dessert after she was done with the flesh of the face and the brain. She ate it slow. She savored it.

Hiei had to pull back out of the vision when she took a bite. He promptly turned to the side and vomited.

* * *

There was no consciousness left of her. All she knew was to get her prey. This place couldn't be too different from Silent Hill, or the Otherworld. She just had to eat. She had to have blood cooling her throat down from that horrible burn she felt.

Killing the drunk had been too easy. This was going to be one of her favorite areas to feed in, unless she could find something better.

_Ooh_, she thought. _A stoner sounds nice. They're always so sweet-tasting_.

She knew that black haired boy was watching. She usually wasn't so sadistic with her meals. Licking the bones had been something that she knew would make the boy's skin crawl.

Showed him to spy on her. Bastard.

There were other things watching her, as well. Monsters of this world. They watched with glowing eyes from the shadows. She knew the look in their cold eyes. Lust. The desire to mate, take her innocence and hopefully bear children that were strong.

Too bad her innocence was already gone.

She snarled at them, pointing down at her scraps.

"Don't track me as if you're some kind of suitors. Take these remains as payment, for I know you enjoy this on a level that I can't stand."

They all laughed darkly. She couldn't see their faces. She didn't care to, really. She had to get back to Yusuke's house before the sun came up and they realized she was gone.

She twitched her way back to uptown, crawling in the shadows. Any demon she encountered didn't bother to confront her. One tried to court her, but she ignored it. She wasn't like them. She wasn't a demon of this world. She was a monster of a place they couldn't imagine.

She made it into the house without much effort. She stood in the bathroom, locking it and hiding away. She would have to wait until sunrise to take a shower and then come out. She was careful to keep blood from staining anything.

"You think you're clever, aren't you?" she hissed. Hiei was outside the bathroom window, which she had cracked earlier that day for fresh air. "It wasn't wise to spy on me, you know. It just makes my job easier."

"Hn."

She turned to look at him. Her gaping jaws attempted a grin. "Did you lose your lunch at my performance? I'm sure you did."

"I don't know what you are, but I'm going to kill you."

"I don't know what you are, but I want nothing more than for you to leave me alone."

"You're the one in my comrade's house."

"You're the one that's outside the bathroom window while I'm naked."

She saw him blush. She would have, too, if she had been able. "Hiei, I have no reason to harm you. You and your friends both helped me a lot this past week."

"I have a reason to harm you."

"And what is that?"

He never answered. They stared at each other until the sun rose. He didn't leave when she began to transform back into her human form.

"Are you amazed, or frightened?" she asked. "I've never transformed back in front of someone from the outside. I've only publicly become the monster."

He was fascinated. God, she was beautiful. At least, when she was human she was. That other form was simply grotesque. But as a person she was quite good looking. She just needed some more weight on his bones.

But watching her turn back was simply one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. The way she seemed to relax, become more flexible and all around change.

That didn't change the fact that he wanted to kill her, though. Something about her made him violent. He just wasn't sure if it was towards her or toward something else. Maybe it was just the demon hidden inside of her that drove him mad. But he couldn't figure it out. At least not easily.

She blushed when she realized she was nude in front of him. Even if he could only see her breasts.

"You need to leave. Come back when my 'interrogation' starts."

He was compelled to do as he was told. Even if it did kill him.


	8. Chapter Seven: Interrogation

**Chapter Seven: "Interrogation."**

* * *

Tamara sat down to a large breakfast of eggs, biscuits and gravy, and bacon. Either they ate well, or they were trying to fatten her up. She bet on the latter. She was wearing a tee shirt and sweat pants that a girl named Keiko had given her earlier, understanding that her wardrobe was rather limited. But that wasn't her fault. They just didn't know that.

Yusuke began his questioning while she was chowing down. His plate was equally as big as hers. "So," he began, "exactly how did you get here?"

She swallowed a mouthful of her fried egg. "Easy," she answered. "The Holy Mother let me go."

"Wait, she let you go?" he asked. "Why would she do that?"

"I'm on a vacation," Tamara said, taking a bite of her biscuit. "I haven't been to the real world for an extended period of time since I was a kid."

"The real world?" Yusuke looked terribly confused. "So you're not from Demon or Spirit World?"

"Oh, no," she said. "I'm from a place called the Otherworld. Things are a lot different there, you see."

Kuwabara came in, gave Tamara a weird look, and started making his plate. "So do you guys all live here?" she asked. "Coz he doesn't treat himself like a guest."

"No, he's just my best friend."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Anyway, back to my questions."

"This is hardly an interrogation." She couldn't help but interrupt him. It was amusing. She didn't mind answering his questions. "I'm not getting tortured."

"Then why don't you tell us what you are?"

She turned around. Damn that Hiei boy. Unfortunately, Yusuke agreed. He wanted to know exactly what she was.

"I'm a … guardian of the Otherworld, in a sense," she said, perhaps a little too quickly. But it wasn't a lie. "I'm supposed to kill anyone who gets in the way."

"Gets in the way of what?"

This question was from Kurama. That meant they were all here now. And that meant that this could quickly become a real interrogation.

"Gets in the way of Walter."

"Walter?"

"Walter is the man who made me who I am today," she answered. The boys could hear the bitterness in her words. "He found me when I was young, and took me in instead of killing me. I became his servant and started to help him with his goal."

"And that is?" Yusuke asked. "You're being awfully vague. You're not telling us where this 'Otherworld' even is, or what this guy is capable of."

"You'll never meet him," Tamara answered. "I'm not even sure he's noticed that I'm gone yet. He's too focused with his own stuff."

"So this creep keeps you starving in his own personal world because…?" Kuwabara asked. Oh, not the starving bit.

"He has a point," Hiei chimed in. "You're obviously not too important, not if he's not feeding you."

She laughed, which she knew would piss him off. "It's not that, it's just cheating if I can get all fat while everyone else starves to death."

They were silent for a moment. "Others?" Yusuke asked. "Are you telling me that there are people in there, like you? That's being starved half to death to serve him?"

She put a finger to her chin, chewing the last of her bacon thoughtfully. "Well, yeah. But I'm the only one there with basic human intelligence, see. I'm the only one who can plot who I kill. The others are just there to attack the moment they sense something out of whack."

Their eyes widened. Well, Hiei's didn't. She had a feeling that he knew what survival was. But he didn't understand. She had to be vague. No one could know what that place was really like. Then everyone would be attacked.

"So this Walter guy was the only person who you could talk to? That has to be a bummer."

"He was for awhile, until the Holy Mother came along."

Yusuke nodded. He was already done with his plate. "Who is this Holy Mother, anyway? If it was her energy, she sure can't be holy."

"She has a nightmarish energy because of what the Or-" she stopped herself. "Because of what someone did to her."

"What were you going to say, Tamara?" Kurama asked, sitting beside her. "You can trust us, you know."

She closed her eyes, putting her fork down on the table. "She asked me not to spread word of them." When her eyes opened again, they were dark. Kurama swore he could see something in them. A house burning in the distance. "Just know that they are terrible, terrible people who don't deserve to live."

"Who are you to judge who lives and who dies?" Kuwabara asked. "I know that you're some kind of guardian for this place, but you shouldn't have to kill anyone that walks through."

"Well, how else am I supposed to eat, moron?" she asked. "Do you know how often I get to actually come on the outside? Maybe twice a year. And now the Holy Mother has gifted me with a whole year of not having Walter Sullivan up my ass."

She was growling. Like an animal. Like the monster she really was. The one only Hiei knew. Only because of that third eye of his.

Yeah, she was good. She knew about the third eye. She'd been able to see him clearly in her mind when he started his little spying. She'd never seen anything like that before. Well, she'd seen worse, but nothing so strange as just a third eye.

She cleared her throat. "Sorry," she said. "I get a little defensive over where I'm from. I've jumped on Pyramid Head for insulting the Otherworld as well."

"Pyramid Head?" Kuwabara asked. "That sounds nothing but freaky."

"Oh, he's a sweetheart!" Tamara exclaimed. "I mean sure, he has to talk through telepathy, and he could go without the knife, but I love him to death!"

Yeah, she had succeeded in freaking them out. "He's not from the same place," she continued. "The Holy Mother created Pyramid Head. When she took over the Otherworld, Pyramid Head and I had a great fight. But we became best friends when it was over."

"Okay, okay, wait, so you're telling me this guy is called Pyramid Head, and he's your best friend?" Yusuke looked more frustrated than freaked out.

"Yeah, of course he is. He's smart. He's one of the only people I can talk to."

"But he's not from the Otherworld. So where is he from?"

"Silent Hill."

"Wait." Kurama stopped discussion. All grew quiet. She cursed herself mentally. That dark energy he had… he could be smart enough to know something about Silent Hill. Know the legends and know of the Order. Hell, he could know who Walter Sullivan was.

"You mentioned his name… Sullivan…" He looked her dead in the face. His green eyes grew cold. "You're from the west, aren't you?"

She grinned coldly. "You're good."

"Wait, who is Walter Sullivan?" Yusuke asked. "Other than the psychopath that starves people to death in the Otherworld."

"Walter Sullivan is a serial killer, and a religious fanatic."

She answered before Kurama could. But he cleared his throat and finished. "They said Walter killed himself with a spoon when he was caught. He was a ruthless monster of a man. He's in the Chapter Black tape, if I'm not mistaken."

This perked her attention. "Walter is in a movie? I want to see it!"

"I destroyed it." Always, Hiei disappointed her. Ugh. She couldn't win with him.

"Anyway," the redhead continued, "Walter Sullivan was a sociopath. He was brought up in some orphanage-"

"It's called the Wish House Orphanage." She looked at Kurama and smiled. "I was there when Walter left it. I was also there when he came back. He didn't send me back to that place. That was the only act of mercy he showed on me."

"Mercy?" Kuwabara exclaimed. "You kill people to get by! You could have been adopted or gone to college or-"

"People of your intelligence don't understand," she growled. "Those people I mentioned? The same people who hurt the Holy Mother ran that awful place. They manipulated us, tortured us, made us into their ignorant finger puppets to worship a god we neither wanted or believed in."

"But you believe in her."

"Of course, I met her in person after she took over my home."

She stood. She was done with this. "I've told you all I can about my origin. I'm not here to kill or to start a war. I'm here so that I can get away from all the blood and the violence and gore. I need a break."

She had to leave. It was time to go job hunting, anyway. That had been her plan once the day started. Living an independent life was just one of the joys she had yet to experience.

* * *

"I don't like her."

It was always like Hiei to be blunt. Kurama chuckled. "You do like her, you just aren't used to such feelings."

"Hn."

"I still don't understand what she said back there," Kuwabara said. Yusuke nodded in agreement, scarfing down the rest of his lunch. Tamara had left with Keiko to explore the city a little more.

Kurama rolled her eyes. "She's from a nightmare created by the ghost of a serial killer."

"How do you know that?" Yusuke's mouth was full, but you best believe he was gonna talk regardless.

"Because the Spirit World lost Walter Sullivan a long time ago, and now he's got his own universe so that he can finish what he started."

"And what is that?" Hiei asked. "Killing without thought?"

"No, he killed for a ritual. But I don't know the details. I'm sure that Tamara does, but she doesn't trust us."

"And why wouldn't she? I've been feeding her!"

"Yes, Yusuke, but I think it's because you're just as scared as I am that she will collapse on us any minute now. Not because you want to gain her trust."

He rolled his eyes. Kurama was right. That's how it really was. The way the girl carried herself, with such a weak demeanor, was scary to watch. They didn't want her to die on their watch.

"But I'm not understanding where Silent Hill comes in," Kurama continued. "The place where Sullivan was from is almost a whole day away from that place. So I'm not sure where she got anything about it."

"I say we torture her."

"Hiei, calm down. Your mate wouldn't like that."

Hiei blushed. Yusuke almost spit everything out of his mouth, but he forced it down. "Mate!? Since when does Hiei have a mate?"

Kurama chuckled. "You can't tell? Tamara is his mate."

"Well, damn, Hiei, someone who moves just as fast as you." Kuwabara was grinning. "She's a little tall for you, though, don't you think?"

"Shut up, fool."

"It's true," the fox said, laughing slightly. "Though they don't realize it yet. Demons have an invisible cord to their true mates, that only other demons can see when that person and their lover is around. The demon himself doesn't realize, but other demons can see it. It's much like the cord Kuwabara can see between himself and Yukina."

"Ugh, you people make me sick."

"Yeah, Kurama," Yusuke laughed. "Way to ruin the surprise. I can't wait to laugh about this later."

Hiei left. Mate his ass. He wouldn't touch anything that looked like her. Not with that body.


	9. Chapter Eight: The Black Dragon, Bar

**Chapter Eight: The Black Dragon, Bar & Grill.**

* * *

Tamara didn't go to Yusuke's house for dinner. Instead she explored the downtown area, specifically for a bar. There was a bar in the real world in South Ashfield… well, there was a bar in the restaurant, anyway, but it was quiet there. She'd mixed some drinks, had some fun, and then Walter, of course, found her. Broad daylight, and he'd still drug her out like she was a toddler in trouble. But she'd enjoyed the idea of bartending ever since, and had more than once snuck out to mix drinks in the bar in Silent Hill.

No, bartending wasn't her lifelong dream. But she only had a year in the real world. It wasn't like she had time to be going to college or anything like that. She just didn't want to be a burden on Yusuke and the others. Especially Hiei. Just because she hated him, didn't mean she wanted to get on his little nerves.

_Heh_, she thought. _"Little" nerves is funny because he's a freakin' midget._

She made her way to a bar and grill called The Black Dragon. This bar was bumping with life, a multi-story building with a basement for a bar and dance club, a bar and restaurant on ground floor, and above that were apartments.

_Apartments_! She could actually have somewhere to live! And if she worked here it would be even better! Yes! She had to get a job here.

She was lucky. There was a "HELP WANTED" sign on one of the black-tinted windows. She neatly ripped it from the tape and walked inside.

So much life. So much music. Laughter. She made her way to the bar, sign in hand.

"Can I help you?" the bartender asked.

She held up the sign, smirking. "I'd like to see the owner, please."

The man nodded, making a gesture to a white door labeled EMPLOYEES ONLY. She made her way through the small dancing crowd, getting grabbed at more than once on the way there.

The door was heavier than she'd expected, but that wasn't a problem. She was used to heavy lifting, at least while dragging her victims around.

There was a side room on what she guessed was an employee locker room. She shrugged and knocked, only to hear a grunt in return. She took that as "welcome" and walked on in.

The man in the office was even uglier than Kuwabara. He was old and quite obese, with sweat beading down his wrinkled face. His eyes were bright and kind, but he didn't carry himself that way, she knew. He was smoking a cigar when she came in.

He frowned at Tamara when she came in, a smirk on her face and sign in her hand.

"We don't hire drug addicts," he said, putting his cigar out in a nearby ashtray.

"I beg your pardon, but I'm not on drugs!" she snapped. She knew she wouldn't like him.

"Then explain why you look like you just came down from what looks like years of dope use. You might get a chance then."

Tamara hesitated, then sighed. She should have waited until she'd gained more than half a pound before she went looking for a job. People looked at her strangely here, too. It was no different.

She sat down in one of the metal chairs in front of the desk. "Look, sir," she began, forcing herself to be polite. "I'm not from here. I came here to… to get away."

The man leaned forward, hands on the desk.

"You on the run from the law, miss?"

"Oh, god, no!" she exclaimed. "Not the law, by any means." She didn't want to, but she could now tell she was going to have to lie. Well, half lie. "For a few years, I've been in a … bad relationship. I've got absolutely nothing but a few pairs of clothing, including the ones I'm wearing right now."

"Bad relationship?" the man asked. "Yer husband hit ya?"

"Not exactly." She didn't have the bruises to prove that. Maybe she should have fought with Hiei before she left this morning. "The abuse was… mental, in a way. My hus- my _ex_-husband-he'd lock me up…" Time to fake the waterworks. "…for an… an extended period of time… without any food or anything…"

"All right, all right, just stop."

She looked up at the man with her fake tears in her eyes. Oh, he fell for it. Just like anyone else she'd said that to.

The man pulled out his wallet. Now, this was a surprise. "Where are you staying, Miss…?"

"Tamara, please."

"Tamara."

"I have a friend uptown that is keeping me for a few days. But I'm not sure after that is done."

He handed her some money before reaching into a drawer in his desk. "Buy yourself a pair of black pants and some new shoes. You're starting tomorrow." He held out a black apron that tied around the waist. "Tell the man at the bar that anything you order is on Mizu."

She could have exploded with excitement, but becoming a blood-drinking monster would be too easy a way for her to get fired before she got to start.

"Thank you." She stood and shook his hand. "Thank you so much." She was almost blushing at the comment made on her shoes, which she'd had to steal from a small shoe store uptown. They were simple flats, no big deal.

She walked out, stomach growling, ready for her free food.

Apron on her arm, she sat on a barstool and told the bartender what the owner said. Before she could ask for a menu, he stopped her from ordering completely.

"I know something you'll love," he said with a smile. Hmm. His grin was quite charming. "It's the house special. What kind of drink would you like?"

She kept her face from heating up. "Wine is good, please," she answered. "Red."

He had pretty hazel eyes and light, sandy brown hair. He was well-built, and wore a tight green tee to show it. His smile was almost brilliant, straight dazzling teeth and all. But she didn't have time for all that attraction stuff. He was going to be her coworker.

A few minutes after taking a few more orders, he came back to her with a tall glass of red wine. "Are you going to train me tomorrow?" she asked. He smiled again.

"I'm not supposed to, but I'm more than happy to take the extra shift. You'll be witnessing most of the time, but eventually you'll be cross-trained to work the bar with me."

"Awesome." She smiled back.

"I'm also the guy in charge of scheduling," he continued, "being the assistant manager and all. Are there any specific days that you need off?"

She thought about this for a moment. She transformed yesterday, and that was…

"Wednesdays," she replied smoothly. "Those are my hospital days. You know, nutritionists and such."

He nodded before going to fetch Tamara's food. He had to be at least two years older than her. Somehow, she was okay with that. Gave her something to look at while she would be working her ass off.


	10. Chapter Nine: First Night at Work

**Chapter Nine: First Night at Work.**

* * *

"Hiei, cheer up,, we're going to go see your girlfriend!" Yusuke chimed.

Tamara had skipped dinner the night before so that she could go find a job. She'd managed to get one at a bar/grill at something called the Black Dragon. There were apartments above it, as well as another bar and dance floor beneath it. Whoever owned that building was making some money. Sure, dancing on the ground floor was fun, but who cared when there was a whole club underneath it?

The lights were dim, but that was a bar for you. Hiei could easily point out the human girl. Her hair was too obvious. She had on one of those bright violet shirts that employees wore. Kurama led them to what she guessed was her section.

"This place is bigger than I thought it would be," Kuwabara said. "Most bars are smaller than this."

"The Black Dragon has been around for awhile," Yusuke said. "Mom used to come here all the time. They had to get this building to expand. Everyone in the city and beyond eat here, even though it's just local."

"Hn." Hiei didn't care. He just wanted to leave. Or die, rather. That would be better at this point. He didn't even like her, so why was he getting dragged along to show "moral support"?

They sat in a pretty large booth near the back, where there were menus already set for them.

"I'm glad she got a job so quickly," Yusuke said, scanning his menu carefully. "Maybe she'll be out of my house next week."

"Your mother wants her to stay," Kurama said. "She helped her with the dishes. She said she could be a live-in housekeeper and stay rent free."

"Hn. I'm surprised she has the skill to be a waitress, much less be able to clean house."

"Hey, Pipsqueak, don't be an ass," Kuwabara said. "She seems really good at it, even though it's only her first day."

The ginger-haired fool had a point. Tamara had a grin plastered on her face. Her customers loved her, the fire demon could tell.

Maybe she could get away from him before she got herself killed. Because he certainly didn't love her.

"Hey, guys!" they heard her say, a note of recited kindness in her voice that sent shivers down the fire demon's spine. That was the tone she'd used the night before last. When she was luring in her prey.

"How's it going?" she asked, hand on her hip casually. She seemed to look at everyone except him. "You guys know what you want to drink?"

Yusuke grinned. "How's the first night on the job?"

"I love this place!" she exclaimed, perhaps a little too loudly. "I've never seen this many people in one building before, you know. It's exciting."

_At least, you haven't seen this many people _alive_ in one place_, Hiei thought.

She shot him a quick glance, but only he noticed it. It was almost like she could hear him. That couldn't be good.

"We're glad that you like it," Kurama chimed in. "I hear that the food here is wonderful, so I suggested that we try it."

"God, the wine is what's amazing," she said. "I think that I'm going to buy a bottle with my tips tonight."

"Tonight? You don't work all night, like graveyards?"

"No, not until I get my bartender training. I come in around two and get off at twelve."

"Nice," Yusuke said. "Now how about some grub before I starve to death?"

Hiei had, at least, enjoyed the food. Even if the girl serving it was probably his greatest enemy.

She came over to refill drinks, putting them neatly on the tray she held. She had the same friendly smile on her face. Everyone smiled back. Except Hiei. He didn't think she deserved it, even if she was doing a good job. He just couldn't trust her.

"Let me take those, Tamara, I know you like a smoke break," a voice said. Hiei and Tamara both turned to see a young man with light hair and hazel eyes. He had a smile that Hiei wanted to wipe off his face.

The fire demon didn't like him, either. Or how he was helping her. Fool. Well, he was _over_ helping her. Touching her shoulder when giving her advice, helping her adjust her ponytail when it started to loosen…

"Thanks, Hisao," she said. "I know I shouldn't, but it's a bad habit."

Tamara walked away, leaving them with the male. He wore green, indicating that he was not only a bartender but a manager of sorts as well. Hiei had heard enough about this bar to know the color system.

Actually, he'd been paranoid and decided to sneak into the mind of the employees, making sure that Tamara would be alright here.

Ugh, this mate thing Kurama had talked about was getting to his head. He was creating fake jealousy from nothing. He hated that girl. And he couldn't have children with someone he couldn't stand.

* * *

Tamara sighed. It had been a long first night. She'd enjoyed her cigarette on the way home, at least. She started to lay out her blanket on Yusuke's couch.

At least her tips had been good. Hisao, her trainer, said she'd been excellent. That had made her smile.

She'd loved Hiei's jealousy. It made her feel good. Made her feel strong. For hating her so much, he didn't seem to. He seemed to be more protective over her than anything. It was almost cute, if the fire demon didn't get on her nerves.

_Demons_, she thought. She wasn't used to that yet. There were demons here. Demons like her. They could live out in the open though, as long as regular people couldn't tell what they were on the inside. It was rather interesting, the way the world really worked.

She laid down, curling up on her side. She'd take a shower in the morning. Yusuke was sleeping so he'd wake up for school, so she had to be quiet.

She wondered for a moment what the bogeyman was doing without her there. Nurses couldn't be very appealing. They were less human than he was, and wouldn't be able to do most of the things that Tamara could. They also wouldn't react the way Tamara did when Pyramid Head took her. The nurses in Silent Hill were fighters. Then again, most of the female creatures there were. It was almost weird.

She had to stop those thoughts. Pyramid Head would be fine. They needed a break anyway. She hadn't been able to walk for a little over an hour after that last time. It was scary how rough he was, but that was how Tamara liked it. Maybe she could find someone worth her time here in the real world. That would be nice. Getting laid was something she was going to need in order to make it for the next year.

Her stomach rumbled, and her thoughts again wandered to Hisao. She hoped she god her Wednesday off. Otherwise it wouldn't be good for that boy. Surely he wouldn't forget that she had to go see a "nutritionist."

Poor Hisao already looked good enough to eat.


	11. Chapter Ten: The Dream and the Heat

**Chapter Ten: The Dream and the Heat.**

* * *

It had been four months since the gang had found Tamara. Hiei never told her secret, and they learned to actually get along. The two had much in common, to Hiei's surprise, but Tamara really was more introverted than he was. She liked alone time more as well, and over time, her answers to some questions would become shorter and shorter. She was growing distant.

Hiei didn't like that one bit.

She had her apartment above the Black Dragon Bar & Grill, and Hiei found himself spying on her more. She had to understand why. She transformed into a monster every Wednesday night and took another victim, giving its bones to demons that wished to court her demon form. But worse than that, they were supposed to be…

_No_! Hiei pulled himself out of his dreaming thoughts. He was in the usual dock building, as it was raining too hard to sleep in the trees a block from Tamara's apartment. He was resting in the shadows. He looked at the watch on his wrist. Two A.M. Tamara was asleep by now, off work and out like a light. He closed his eyes and went back into his dreams quickly, sleeping deeper than before.

His Jagan Eye opened an hour or so later. As hiei had once said, it sometimes had a mind of its own. And it chose to play while Hiei was sleeping, sometimes. Just to spy on the human girl.

The Jagan could easily manipulate dreams, even its own master's. Tonight, it targeted Tamara's exhausted mind. It was high time that she understood what was really on the fire demon's mind…

* * *

Tamara was snoring so loud that it almost drowned out the music of the bar beneath her. She'd had a very busy night, and she and the gang were all having lunch at Kuwabara's tomorrow. She had to be up early enough to get ready and make it uptown in time.

She'd gained twenty pounds since she'd come to the real world. Now that she was satisfied, she was maintaining a healthier diet. She didn't want to be a fatass when she went back home.

Home. Was South Ashfield really her home?

She just hadn't realized how curvy she really was. She had a big butt, hips and thighs, too. Her breasts had gone up a cup size as well. She just wanted to know where such a body could have ever been lost.

Then she remembered Silent Hill was the place to lose everything.

Her loud snoring stopped. She focused in on her own dream, letting herself fall even deeper into it.

* * *

_Fire surrounded them. Fire from the depths of hell._

_It didn't matter to him, though. As long as he got what he wanted._

_She lay in the flames beneath him, sweating. It was amazing how the heat was too much for her, and she was burning up, but to him her skin felt so cool compared to his. He couldn't help but explore her with his hands, despite her whimpers of protest. _

_That was alright, too. The Dragon held her down, spread before him, dark caramel skin shining in contrast to the black flames surrounding them._

_Every time he touched her, she would grown in what seemed like so much pain it was pleasurable. He sent a heat coursing through her veins she couldn't take, and she felt as though she was burned by his hands. _

_In a way, she was. There were red marks on her where he had gripped parts of her body a little too tight. They burned._

_He grinned at the thought of using his mouth on her. And she thought that his hands were hot._

_It only took the touch of his tongue against the inside of her wrist to make her scream._

_The heat was too much. That pain had turned into hot, primal pleasure and shot down into he groin. _

_She heard him laugh, and could only whimper in response. He'd loved her reaction. It had been more than beautiful, watching her squirm away beneath him._

_He began his course with his mouth, nipping, kissing, and licking his way down her arm and to her shoulder, feeling her muscles contract against the heat. It was just too intense for her to handle, despite whatever she'd experienced before._

"_No other, demon or human, is allowed to bring you such pleasure," he growled against her ear. "And don't dare say you don't like it. Your body's keeping no secrets."_

_Even his breath was hot, burning the flesh of her ear. The demonic fire on her hands and back wasn't helping, either. _

"_Let me…" she groaned, "…let me touch you."_

_He easily complied, commanding the Dragon to release her, but it wasn't for long. He shivered at her cool touch against the muscles in his arms and back, how her fingers traced the tattoo on his arm gently. _

_His back wasn't sweating but she flinched at how hot it felt. It was like he was on fire. And even though her body temperature was so high from being so close, it was nothing compared to his._

_The Dragon restrained her again, letting the demon ravish her feverish body with his mouth. She cringed away; even the moisture on her legs felt like scalding water. She looked down to see his crimson eyes, staring up to make eye contact as his flaming tongue made circles around her navel, before he-_

* * *

"Hiei!" she shouted, eyes snapping open. She was sweating, her right hand in her sleeping shorts and the other tangled into the sheet beneath her. There was more than just sweat on her thighs and in the bed.

_What the hell was that?_ she thought. She'd never had a dream so vivid before.

Looking at the alarm clock on her bedside table, she saw that it was five A.M. Still plenty of time for real sleep, if she could get any.

She undressed in her bed, throwing her clothes onto the floor. It was too hot in there for her, so hot that she could barely breathe.

* * *

"_Say my name," he hissed._

_She was shivering beneath him, despite the high temperature in the flames. Her skin was taking on a red tint in the places he'd touched her, hot trails from where his mouth had been. She had a few crimson spots from where she'd bled from his canines in her skin._

_She hissed in a breath between clenched teeth as he put a hand on her stomach._

"_Say it," he told her. "I have to hear it."_

_She laughed weakly, and he raised an eyebrow. "Make me," she said quietly. It was an exhausted whisper._

_He smirked. There was only one way to _make_ her. At least, only one way that he knew of. _

_The whole time, he'd paid little attention to her sex, feeling as though she would faint from the pleasure. But if he had to make her say his name, he'd do whatever it took. _

_It wasn't hard to find the center of her pleasure, that tiny bundle of nerves just under the skin. The heat from his thumb alone made her cry out. And his smirk only grew as he continued his ministrations._

_His eyes dilated slightly as he finally felt it. Her nectar was almost as hot as he was. He licked his lips, which were slightly dry. He wanted to taste it. And oh, he was going to. _

"_H-Hi-Hiei!" she cried, attempting to wriggle away from him. He wasn't satisfied, not yet. He took her by the back of her knees, spreading them apart and pushing her knees toward her. Just one taste, and he'd be satisfied._

_Just one taste, and his life could be complete…_

* * *

Hiei jolted upright, pants tight and skin shining with sweat. What had made him think _that_? About _her_?

His Jagan eye was open, he realized, his headband burned away. No. The third eye had shared the dream with her. _Shared_!

He looked outside; it was now daylight. He searched his pockets for a new headband as he left the building. He had to go shower at Kurama's. He put the thoughts of this dream behind him for now. Wouldn't do him much good if he would have to face her later.


	12. Chapter Eleven: The Fight

**Chapter Eleven: The Fight.**

* * *

The lunch date everyone had lasted late into the evening. It was Tuesday, and for the first time Tamara was off work on a night besides on Wednesday.

During scheduling last Saturday, Mizu had told Hisao that Tamara was "overworked" and needed more time off. She still had her Wednesdays, so she could spend the evening getting more "nutrition." Yeah.

It was raining again. Yusuke had a meeting in a place called Spirit World, whatever that was. Tamara didn't care to know, really. She just knew that the four boys were tangled up in it somehow.

They were all inside. Tamara smoking a cigarette while she and Keiko played cards. Shizune was making dinner in the kitchen. Hiei gazed out the window, out at the rain. The usual. The two redheads, the good and the ugly, were playing what seemed to be their 200th round of Goblin City.

"So, Keiko, why did that girl take Yusuke again?" Tamara asked. She didn't like that girl. She'd looked at Tamara like she was crazy, and that couldn't be good.

The small brunette shrugged. "Who knows? He probably has another case or something."

Hiei glanced at the two girls. Koenma had found out about Tamara a week before, when her demon energy had skyrocketed. It had been he who'd told Yusuke, so that Koenma wouldn't force the Spirit Detective to eliminate her.

It would be so much easier if Tamara would tell them the whole story. Hiei couldn't get into her mind, but he could tell that there was something about her nature that she didn't want to discuss.

Hiei was going to figure it out. His newfound attraction to the young woman was irrelevant if he didn't know anything about her.

"Guys, food's ready," Shizune called. The group moved to the kitchen. Hiei and Tamara sat across from each other.

"Smells good," Keiko said quietly. She seemed to be down when Yusuke was gone. Tamara wondered if she would ever find someone she could feel that way about, but she doubted it. The whole emotional thing wasn't in her interests.

She and the fire demon made eye contact, and they both blushed before looking down at their plates. Only Kurama could see it. It made him curious, oh so very curious. They hadn't done anything, he could tell. But something had happened. Maybe…

_Damn telepathy_, he thought. Hiei didn't want to tell him. So he couldn't find out that way. Tamara didn't know him well enough for that.

Dinner seemed quieter than usual. At least, it did to Tamara. But that was alright. She found herself enjoying quiet time more and more. The rain was pretty bad, and when she and Hiei started off in opposite directions, the latter without an umbrella, Tamara stopped and turned to him.

"Where do you sleep when it rains, Hiei?" she asked. She didn't want him sleeping outside if it was raining. Even if he was a demon, he could get sick that way.

"I don't think that concerns you," he replied, his voice flat as usual. It hadn't been as silky or possessive as it had been in her dream last night…

_No_, she thought, biting her lip. _Let's not think about that. Just be nice._

"Come back with me," she told him. "I'll buy us a bottle and you can sleep on the couch. Better than wherever you've been."

"How do you know I haven't been staying at Kurama's?" he asked her, turning to her and raising an eyebrow.

"Because I asked him, idiot."

He scowled at her, and she grinned, moving over to him to get him under the umbrella. Even in the rain, his hair stuck most of the way up. "Come on," she said, her voice almost pleading. "You and I still haven't gotten to box, anyway. We can box tomorrow night after I eat, if you want."

He was, after all, the only one who knew what she meant by "after she ate." He smirked, taking the umbrella from her grasp. "Let's go, whatever you're planning on buying better be good."

Her grin grew. "Well, tell me what you like!"

They walked downtown, in the rain, in silence. They looked odd together, really. She was wearing a tight, long sleeved, bright blue dress that ended mid-thigh, showing off her new body. He wore his usual black cloak over what she was sure was a black shirt. She wasn't sure. She'd never seen him without it before.

* * *

The Black Dragon was especially crowded tonight. They ended up having a few drinks in the bar. Hiei seemed to enjoy wine as much as she did. It matched his eyes, she noticed, almost blushing. What did she care if it matched his eyes or not?

Even though she was off, people recognized her. Making comments about how she couldn't stay out for even one night. Tamara laughed it off. She did love the place. It felt good to be there as much as she was.

Hisao winked at her. "Taking a bottle for the road?" he asked. Good thing he wasn't flirting near as much. She thanked Hiei. Hisao could be a little smothering sometimes. And that pissed her off.

She could always eat him, though. If she really wanted to.

A drunk stumbled between her and Hiei, spilling his drink on her. She growled before Hiei even had a chance to say anything.

"Hey, dude, watch yourself," she said. "This is a new dress."

The man stared at her. God, she could smell the alcohol on him. It was worse than anything she'd ever smelled before. And she'd smelled burning flesh.

"Yew watch yerself," he slurred. "If yer not careful, I might convince yew to cum home with me."

"Not a chance, man," she said with a smirk. "You couldn't handle any of this."

It was true. But he didn't know that. "Hey, I like some chocolate with my cream," he answered.

"Get outta here, Hayato," Hisao said. "The lady doesn't want any of you."

"Damn right," the drunk said. "She couldn't handle this anyway."

He walked away then. Hiei looked like he was going to explode. It almost made her laugh. She slipped off of her barstool with ease. "I'm gonna go clean this whiskey off my dress. If it dries, it'll stain. When I get back, I'll grab that bottle."

"Hn."

"Alright, be right back."

Hiei watched her walk away. He liked the way she walked. It was nice.

"She's got a nice one, doesn't she?" he heard that bastard bartender ask. "I'm waiting for the night she invites me upstairs, if you know what I mean."

Hiei turned to glare at him. The boy's grin faltered, but not for long. "What?" he asked. "I'm just saying. You're lucky that you're going up there with her. She looks like a freak to me."

He stood. "I'll take that bottle for her. That way we can hurry up and get out of your way," he said, clenching his teeth. He didn't want to cause a scene, not here. Tamara would try to kill him if he acted out of line.

"No way, wait for her," he said, grinning like the fool he was. "I wanna say bye to her. She starts bartending training next week, you know."

Ugh. This wasn't cool. He thanked the gods above that he was going to be able to leave this place soon.

"Hey, asshole, get off my jock."

Only one person could say something so foolish. He turned to see Tamara slapping that drunk idiot's hand off of her ass. "I don't have time for you, I thought you got that."

Hayato only laughed in the drunk way he did, and took a grab at her chest. "Yer feisty, I like that in my women."

"Look, dude, if you wanna fight, I'll throw you down here, whether or not I work here."

Hiei made a mental note that Tamara really didn't have much tolerance for bullshit. That was just another thing he liked about her.

_Stop that_, he scolded himself.

The man, after mumbling something stupid to his friends, gladly put up his fists. "All right, but if I win, I'm goin' to yer place tonight," he said.

He didn't have to see Tamara's face to see her dark smile that he'd seen only once before, right before she transformed in front of one of her poor victims only a month before. "Deal, motherfucker."

She gave him a good hook or two. No one was saying anything. Even Hisao, an assistant manager, was just looking. A circle had formed around the two. Hiei watched from his spot, a little frustrated over the taller people getting in his way (A/N: lol).

She was just playing with him, the fire demon could tell. Just punching him lightly, like it was a joke. She thought of it as a joke. There was no way that she would let a man come upstairs for hitting her in the face. Even if she had made a deal.

Then the unbelievable happened. Hiei's vision went red as Tamara was punched not once, but _twice_ on each side of her face, hard, knocking her back into the crowd behind her. She spit on the floor, getting ready to go again.

She didn't get the chance.

Hiei had the man by his throat, rage in his eyes. "Did you just hit her?" he asked, his voice a snarl. His bandaged hand raised into a fist, he clenched his teeth.

The man didn't know what to do. But drunkeness was his inspiration, Hiei supposed.

"Hiei, what the hell are you doing?" He ignored Tamara's question.

"Yeah, Hiei, whatcha doin'?" the drunk asked. "Yew her boyfriend or summin?"

He didn't know how to react. His face was on fire. He could barely control the Darkness Flame within him. He wanted to destroy this scum of the earth. Humans. Damn them all. Or at least the ones like this.

He let go of his throat. "If I am?" he asked. "It's all the more reason to kick your ass."

"Hey, fella, she came onto me." He was laughing. "Yew might wanna set your bitch in line, ya know, 'fore she goes off fuckin' someone else."

"You're not in her line of standards."

"And yew are? Yew little runt."

"Big words."

"Ha, bigger than your dick."

He looked back at Tamara. "Hey darlin, yew owe me a good time."

That was it. Hiei couldn't stand it. He shouldn't have tried to be cool with him in the first place.

He punched the man in the jaw, so hard that he heard bones crack. "Hiei!" Tamara cried. He ignored her still, watching the man's blood spill from his lips as his fist made contact. He flew across the room. Hiei moved past the crowd and picked up the bleeding man by the shirt. People were whispering and shouting. He didn't care.

"That's about as good of a time you're ever going to have, you fool," he snapped. He was surprised at the sound of his own voice. "If you so much as _look_ at her ever again, I'll destroy you."

She felt Tamara pulling at his arm. "Hiei, you idiot! Let's go upstairs before you kill him."

He dropped the man and complied. Tamara got two bottles of red wine from the bar, asking for the strongest stuff in the house. Hisao gave it to her without charge. They were briefly in the rain before heading upstairs to the apartments. She was leading him by the hand, something he wasn't used to.

"What were you thinking?" she asked, not looking at him.

"He hit you," Hiei replied. "So I hit him."

"I can fight for myself."

He had her against the wall then, right by the apartment door. He didn't mean to say what he said next, but after he caught one of the bottles she almost dropped, and looked her in her beautiful face for the first time, he couldn't help it.

"I don't want you to fight for yourself when you have someone who can fight for you."

Maybe it had been the alcohol in his system, but honesty came more bluntly when drunk. The hand she'd held was now holding hers against his chest, his heart beating so hard he thought it would burst.

She smiled at him, her cheeks getting darker. It was amazing, even though she was wearing makeup, how he could tell that she was blushing. He guessed it was a demon thing.

"Let's get you inside," she said. "Hisao will be coming by on his break to talk to me about you, seeing as you called yourself my boyfriend and all."

They both laughed together. Something they'd never done before. But it was wonderful, the way their laughs melded together like that. It was music to the fire demon's ears.


	13. Chapter Twelve: Stories of Abandonment

**Chapter Twelve: Stories of Abandonment**

* * *

Tamara was almost embarrassed when Hisao had come by, telling her how much of an ass her new "boy-toy" was, and that he better watch himself the next time he decided to come drink. She would have apologized for the fire demon, but he came to the door, shirtless, with this crazy smug smirk on his face, and said, "I was just doing what you were too pussy to do, Hisao. A girl likes it when a man comes to the rescue."

Tamara rolled her eyes and was going to apologize again, but Hiei moved her to the side and shut the door in the bartender's face. They laughed together again, even though Hiei's laugh was more of a short chuckle.

She went to the restroom and changed into her usual shorts and tank top, the former being washed before she left the house that morning. She blushed at the thought, but quickly dismissed it before she walked out, toothbrush in her mouth.

He took his time changing into some sweats she'd found for him, while she stood outside and brushed her teeth. She could hardly wait to spit out all of that and wash her mouth out, even if she was going to continue smoking and drinking.

She opened the door, pushing a shirtless Hiei to the side so that she could spit. Turned out that he was brushing his teeth, too. She couldn't help but giggle at the fact that the fire demon had a toothbrush in his cloak, even though demons didn't exactly have to brush their teeth. She made sure to make a comment of this.

"I like the taste," he said casually. That only made the woman roll her eyes.

"Here," she said, giving him a glass of wine. "Rinse it out with this. I'm not done drinking tonight."

He took it gladly, watching her face while she picked up her own glass and filled it almost to the rim. They tipped their glasses and took a few small sips, smirking at each other. He was glad he'd taken up her offer.

Hiei took a good look around the place while Tamara was out on her fire escape having a cigarette. The apartment was bigger than it looked from outside the window. She just didn't have enough stuff to decorate it with. Everything she had was just too simple. But she seemed to like it that way. It was almost like she didn't want to make the place too personal.

He found a scrapbook on her bedside table. He set down his glass of wine, sitting down on the simple full-sized bed. He didn't even get a chance to open it before Tamara snatched it out of his hands.

"You don't need to see that," she said. "Some of the things in here are things no one can comprehend."

"Hn, I'm from Demon World," he replied. "I can handle anything."

She looked down at the scrapbook, then back at him. "I only bought this so the photos wouldn't get ruined in my bag. People can't see them, though."

"What are they pictures of?"

She hesitated. "The Otherworld."

"Where did you get them?"

He noticed her grey eyes darkened, and a strange glint appeared in them. "I followed one of my victims around for a few days once, toying with him. He was a photographer. He had plenty of film for his documentary. He'd taken pictures of everything… well, almost everything. There's me as a human and as a monster. My old friends. My apartment, even. That was the last place he saw."

He gulped. That almost frightened him. "I want to see them."

"Why?"

"So I can know you better than the others do." He was head-on with his answer. Not that it helped her. She was still hesitant. Ten minutes had passed before she said anything at all.

"Okay," she finally said. "I'll let you take a peek. But you can't tell anyone about these."

He nodded. He didn't understand his curiosity, but he had to know. She was so scared to talk about her home, and it drove him absolutely insane. He had to figure her out.

She sat down beside him on the bed, holding her glass in one hand and taking a big gulp. She opened it up. These were landscape photos, in a way. There was a photo of a two-story building, with small trees in the front. There was what looked like an abandoned crib turned over outside as well.

"I grew up there," she said, pointing at the building. The photo was labeled "Wish House." "That's my crib. I went into a rage and threw it out after it was abandoned."

Hiei looked from the photo to the woman. "You were orphaned?" he asked.

"Well, yeah," she replied. "No one knows who my parents are. Hell, all I know is that my mom had a thing for African guys."

She laughed, but Hiei was serious. He'd been abandoned at birth as well, not ever having met his mother. But at least he knew that she was from the ice glacier in Demon World. She didn't even know where her mother was from.

"She dumped me off there," Tamara continued. "I'm not sure, really. They told me that my mom was too young and couldn't take care of me, so she didn't have a choice."

"Why weren't you ever adopted, then?"

"Kids from the Wish House rarely got families," she said. "We weren't raised right."

"Hn." He'd been raised by bandits. "Perhaps it isn't the people who raised you wrong so much as it was yourself."

"Oh, no, it was them," she reassured him. "If only you knew. Turn the page."

There was a picture of a hazmat suit hung on the wall. It was labeled "The Enemy."

"Who is this?"

"Oh, that's just a suit that they wear. They're just one of those bad people I told you guys about when I got here."

She stared at the picture harder than he did. The suit almost looked haunted. "Were they the same people who raised you up?"

"Yeah, they were."

"And they raised that serial killer, too, didn't they?"

"Mhm, but they raised him up even more extremely. The leader of them was at the Wish House then."

He really didn't understand what she was talking about. He took another generous gulp of wine. "Tell me about them."

"Then I'd have to tell you the whole story."

"As long as it's your whole story."

She blushed. He could tell. It must have been the first time anyone asked her about that before.

"Well, it's kinda hard to explain," she said, emptying her glass and leaning back on the bed. "But we have all night, don't we?"

Tamara looked at Hiei with surprised eyes as she said this. He looked back at her like she was freaking out over nothing. It was kinda cute.

"You really want to know all about me?" she asked. He only nodded slightly in response. He was trying to keep his eagerness hidden.

She took the photo album from him. She hadn't wanted him to see any more, anyway. So this was, in a way, a perfect opportunity to keep him from finding out way too much. At least he would leave that alone.

"Okay, so there's this cult," she began, taking a swig of wine then topping her glass off. "I'm not sure where they originated, but they are all over the area surrounding a town called Silent Hill."

He was looking at her crazy. "Look, you have to know about the Order in order to understand." He nodded.

The two drank an entire bottle of wine while they exchanged their stories. Tamara really hadn't realized how much they had in common. They'd both missed out on a childhood, suffering without parents. Hiei had been raised by a hoard of demon bandits, growing a love for killing simply fo the humor of it. It was fascinating, really, how he got so much attention for a stone around his neck.

His "family" had abandoned him eventually, growing wary of his killing habits, fearing he'd kill them as well.

Tamara's story was slightly different but they both knew that many of the feelings they had were the same.

Tamara had been abandoned, too. But instead of being thrown off of a mountain, her parents had both come from the South and dropped her off at a security office in Ashfield's subway station. She supposed she was lucky, even though her sperm and egg donors were never found and charged with child abandonment.

"They took me to the Wish House, and they named me," she continued. Hiei was opening the second bottle of wine while she spoke. She had asked him to go first. "The Wish House was run by the Order back then."

"Who runs it now?" Hiei asked.

"It's gone now," she answered, an almost smile on her face.

"Hn." He sat down with the open bottle and refilled his glass. "So where did that put you?"

"I guess just put of the herd."

He poured her glass. She lit up a cigarette. Staying dry on the fire escape wasn't exactly working. She pointed toward the clean ashtray on the bedside table, and Hiei reached over and grabbed it for her.

The members of the Order literally beat their beliefs into us." Her voice grew quiet at that point. "We were punished severely for anything unholy or sinful that we did. They would lock us up inside a prison on the lake for just about anything."

"A prison?" he asked.

"Yeah, a 'Water Prison,' as they called it," she replied. "And people all around the area would complain about hearing us cry at night."

They sat in silence for awhile, sipping wine while she smoked. It was Hiei who spoke again: "When did you go to the Otherworld?"

She turned her back to him, moving the hair covering her shoulder. "Get that rag over there and wipe it over my left shoulder blade."

He did as he was told, taking the washcloth and gently scrubbing over her skin. Slowly but surely, the makeup began to fade, and what Hiei thought was a tattoo was beginning to appear.

"One of the members punished me when I was thirteen," she said. "I'm not ev3n sure what I did. But he took the paperweight he'd welded himself, in the shape of their holy symbol, and threw it into his fireplace in a fit of one of his usual tantrums."

It wasn't a tattoo at all, he realized. It was a scar. Somehow it was red like a tattoo, but it was just her normal skin. A huge scar that hadn't faded despite how old it could have been.

"I wasn't paying attention," Tamara continued, flexing to have a better look at the mark on her. "He and one of the women there were lecturing me about what I did, and how it was my mother's fault, my blood's fault. They told me I was born evil."

"What could make you _born_ evil?" Hiei knew the answer to that permanently. Those damn ice apparitions.

She didn't answer at first. "My race, how my mother was white and my father wasn't." She paused to wipe her face. Was she crying? "The woman told me that I had to be physically marked to get into Paradise, Hiei. And then… and then she held me down and…"

"I don't want to hear it," the fire demon growled, and grabbed her arms. He quickly pulled her back into his chest. He heard her gasp in surprise but didn't care. "Makes me want to kill those bastards."

Unknown to the fire demon behind her, Tamara smiled darkly. "You don't have to," she told him. "Walter took me in after that." She didn't want to bring up the part about how she had killed them, luring them into the Otherworld at the age of fourteen, only to eat them after the sun went down.

"And he's your protector?" Hiei asked. She felt him tense up against her. God, he was warm.

"No," she said, perhaps too quickly. "After that happened, I ran away. That had been the last thing I could take. I didn't want to belong to a god I didn't believe existed."

She felt his hand stroke her arm. He wasn't any warmer, but it was still electrifying. He left a trail of goosebumps behind his hand. "I ended up in Walter's Otherworld, accidentally showing up through the subway. But going there is never truly accidental." She sighed, taking another gulp of wine. "Walter didn't kill me, like I thought he would. He healed my wounds and asked me to help him, promising a great reward in the end."

"And what was that?"

"He said he'd share his mom with me."

The fire demon laughed then, releasing her. She turned to face him, eyes narrowed. "What's funny?"

"Oh, nothing, except that the fool had been an orphan like you and myself."

"The Order told him that his mother was the apartment he was found in, born in. That she was sleeping and waiting for him to wake her up." She was too serious about this. Walter could have been a decent person if it wasn't for the Order.

At least Hiei's chuckle was gone. "He began to research a ritual when he was young, to wake her up."

"Wake her up?"

"Yup. Except… Walter's blinded by his own desire. That ritual is something different entirely. He may fail."

"If not?"

She hesitated. If Walter's ritual was successful, Alessa could take over the entire planet. "Run to your Demon World," she answered, eyes darkening. "Don't stick around. The world could be consumed. I'm honestly not sure, but I know that I'll have to stick around to devour the sinners if it works."

"What?" His eyes were big. What nonsense was she talking?

She realized what she'd said, and mentally cursed herself. She reached for the bottle. "I'm a creature of the Otherworld, Hiei. I symbolize many of the sins of mankind and all that other shit." She downed another glass and went to pour another, but Hiei took both bottle and glass away. She lit a cigarette again.

"A perfect example is Pyramid Head," she continued. "He symbolizes tremendous guilt, treachery, and even murder itself." She got off the bed and walked across the room to crack the window. Her house didn't need to stink. "We all symbolize something, whether it be simple or complex."

"That's the difference between you and I," he finally said. "You belong to something, somewhere."

She stopped, glaring at the fire demon. "I do _not_ belong in the Otherworld. I belong _here_, with someone. If I ever get to leave the Otherworld again, I'll find out who it is."

"What do you mean? You're not in the Otherworld now."

She almost laughed, taking a long drag from her cigarette. "The reason why I've been so distant is because I have to go back in eight months, and probably be severely punished when I get there."

His eyes widened. She was going to leave? She couldn't leave. Not when the person she belonged to was sitting on her bed, getting drunk while it rained and they exchanged childhood nightmares. Not when he wanted her.

Not when they were meant to be together. Like Kurama had said four months ago.

"Is there any other way?" he asked. Tamara shrugged casually.

"Alessa is the one in charge, Hiei. I was lucky I got the year that I have. Walter created me, though. Unless he dies, I can't truly ever leave. And I can't convince her to sever me from there. It would take a lot of effort, and my life would change forever."

He was tempted to reach for his sword. "I'll go convince her for you."

Her cigarette butt was thrown out the window. She got back on the bed, coming close to get under the blanket. "No, Hiei. I'm a human. I'm not a demon, like you. Below you, remember? You don't have to defend me."

"What if I want to?"

She laid down, her back to him. "Let's save it for another day. I'll get an update on the Otherworld tomorrow, promise."

He growled in frustration, but she hadn't heard it. She was snoring softly.

Hn. Foolish girl. She only said "promise" at the end of an excuse so she could go to sleep. Just like last time.

The fire demon looked around. He definitely felt the alcohol. A bottle and a half of the strongest in the Black Dragon? He had a feeling discussing it with Tamara could have led to him finding a way to this "Otherworld."

The fire demon didn't even feel like moving to the couch. He very slowly took of his shoes (he's the weirdo that keeps them on just in case) and checked the bandages on his right arm. Trying his best not to wake her, he began to make his way under the blanket.

Yeah, she woke up. "What the hell are you doing?" She'd only been sleeping for a few minutes, but her eyes were already glazed over with sleep.

They just stared at each other, Hiei propped up on one elbow with his unbandaged arm holding the blanket up. He wasn't really sure what to do.

She smiled, grabbing his right arm from under him and pulling, quick for a human. She dragged him over to her side. Hiei's eyes grew wide and he fell from the shock, but at least the pillows were soft.

She was turned away again, but she was snuggling on his arm. His usual smirk almost turned into a real smile.

He wasn't sure how, but somehow he ended up facing toward Tamara, pulling her body to his. He traced the brand on her shoulder with one finger. He'd seen that before, but he wasn't sure where. He'd worry about that later, though. This moment was too important for him.

She seemed so soft, fragile. In his drunk state of mind, nuzzling her neck and shoulder seemed like a pretty good idea. He had to keep himself from tasting her skin, but his fingertips still caressed her ribs, side and stomach. Her scent was intoxicating this close. She was shivering against him, but it wasn't because of the cold.

His lips touched the back of her ear. "Tamara," he whispered. "I need you."

She stretched suddenly, almost like she'd heard him. But she didn't. "Dude, not the Sniffer Dogs," she groaned.

Hiei sweat dropped. "I… I gotta go get… the milk… bogeyman…" She resumed her snoring after muttering more nonsense. Hiei couldn't help but chuckle before he fell asleep.

His dream wasn't near as pleasant as the night before.


	14. Chapter Thirteen: The Otherworld

**Chapter Thirteen: The Otherworld.**

* * *

"It's not the same!" he shouted, shooting the poor, mistreated nurse apparition in the face.

No, it wasn't the same. Not for Walter. Tamara had to come home.

He'd been trying to make a new one. A new Tamara. But she was the original, and she was gone. His strange mind just couldn't comprehend that it wasn't the same girl. The same woman.

She was his and that dirty witch had just let her go without even a second thought! He'd told Tamara no! And that meant that she couldn't go. But she'd gone anyway, leaving Walter alone, with no real person to talk to. Even if Tamara wasn't the best company.

This was his fifth failure in making her. The first one had died in the making. The second hadn't taken the transformation at nighttime. The third was less intelligent than the other substitutes, even though he wanted a shell of the girl until she came home. The fourth had tried to kill him.

This one had almost been perfect, though its eyes had been blank, its new mouth stitched a little lopsided. He just hadn't had enough fun fucking her.

His hands and trousers and coat were soaked with fresh blood. He put his gun away and pulled up his pants. No, that nurse wasn't like Tamara. She didn't smell anything like her, taste anything like her.

He chuckled. Yes, Walter had had his way with the woman. Once, at the peak of her insanity. She was too young. He'd feared he'd killed her, that she'd abandon him once she'd recovered. So he'd altered her memory, making her think she'd been saved by him, having her think that some dirty old man he'd dragged in was raping her and he'd stopped him, giving her the cursed rose she wore to keep the truth away from her mind.

It had been too pleasant to watch the young girl devour her victim the night she woke up. The poor bastard didn't even know what was coming. But Walter had to make his story seem real.

* * *

"_What happened?" she asked. She was dirty, bloody. Her hair was nappy. She looked to Walter with curious eyes. At only fifteen, most would think she was too young for this life. But to him, it would work. "Walter?"_

"_Good to see you're recovering," he said. "I was scared for you."_

"_What happened, Walter?" she asked. She tried to get up off the floor, and he could see her legs shaking. He couldn't help but bite his lip a little. "Did I get hurt?"_

"_Yes, you did," he replied. "But it's alright. I found you just in time." He gestured to a dark corner of the room. "That man is the one who hurt you."_

_He was gagged. Bloodied from the beating he'd received. Panicking. _

"_It's blurry," she said. "I don't remember what happened."_

_Walter chuckled slightly. "I did that, I'm afraid. I couldn't have you suffering too badly from your experience."_

"_What?"_

"_He deflowered you, Tamara. That man forced himself on you. He was too strong."_

_She looked down. She was obviously confused. If Walter had the ability to feel guilt, he would have felt awful for lying to her. But of course, he didn't._

"_The last thing I remember is coming to see you," she told him. "A Sniffer Dog gave me a message, and…"_

"_You never made it to me, Tamara." He walked over to the man, who was shaking his head like a madman. No, he wasn't mad. He wasn't Walter. "This man caught you off guard. If I hadn't made it to you, you could be in worse shape. I took away most of the memory so that you wouldn't be too traumatized."_

_She looked at the old man tied up in the corner, the grey in her eyes disappearing. She couldn't control the beast when she got angry._

* * *

Yes, she'd been much easier to fool then. And she'd trusted him, his judgment. He wondered when she stopped believing him.

And now she was old enough to make her own choices. But choices didn't work. Not in the Otherworld. Not when Walter Sullivan owned you.

He ran his dirty fingers through his hair, bright hazel-green eyes looking around the room. He was losing his already lost mind. He had to get her back.

Oh, he'd spoken with Alessa, the supposed Holy Mother, about Tamara's sudden departure. The witch had threatened to make her decision permanent, taking Tamara away from him forever.

For the past month, he'd been looking through Tamara's mind. She had friends, a job, a crush…

He laughed madly at the thought. Tamara was a monster at heart. He'd made it her nature. She belonged with others of her own kind. She belonged in the Otherworld.

With Walter.

And his mother, like he'd promised her all those years ago.

In Paradise. For eternity.

"You don't know what you're thinkning," Alessa had told him. "That girl was meant to come here to be strong, Mr. Sullivan. She's going to leave for good eventually, even if she has to kill you herself. She doesn't belong here."

Tamara wouldn't do that, though. Not his Tamara. His second everything. All after Mother. Mother…

What if Tamara didn't like her? She's always lived just below her, but had never actually met his mother. What would he do?

He grinned. He'd make Tamara like his mother. And they could be happy.

He strolled to Forest World, his old home. His only, closest thing to home. Tamara's crib still lay outside the ruined orphanage, the wood rotting from exposure. She'd destroyed the inside once Walter had consumed it into his nightmare. She really must have hated that place. But if he thought back correctly, they _had_ stayed on Tamara a lot for her race. They hadn't even given the poor little girl a last name.

He chuckled, his strange mind jumping from place to place. Henry would be coming back from Mother soon. The man couldn't find a way out, but that was alright. He'd never be able to leave.

Another presence. Eileen had stumbled in. Ah, Eileen Galvin. The girl next door to Mother. The first person to show a younger Walter Sullivan some kindness.

She would help him now, too. Eileen had a large part in waking his mother up.

He laughed again, his mind jumping about like crazy. He would create another Tamara, or at least try. Again.

He headed back towards Apartment World, to her apartment. He had to find a way. She had to come home. She had to.

And then they could wake Mother up. Together.

Tamara would remember soon, he realized. He was going to make her have nightmares. Real ones. Ones that contained the truth. Ones that would make her want to come home early just so that she could destroy the immortal.

But it would only lead her right into his clutches. He could do anything he wanted to her, and no matter how many times she shot him, hit him, blew or sliced him into pieces, he would always come back for her.


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Birthday

**Chapter Fourteen: Birthday.**

* * *

"_I do wish that you'd check in more," Pyramid Head told her. "I know you can only comw when you're sleeping, but you don't even try anymore."_

_It was true. Tamara hadn't focused her dreams on the Otherworld in almost two months, and she'd nearly been out of it for four months and a week. _

"_Yeah, well, I've been busy with work, dude." They were in her apartment, on the couch. She had a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. "Anyway, bck to this chick I was munching out on-"_

"_Yeah, she was twice your size and old," he interrupted dryly. That was the second time he'd stopped her mid-sentence. It was quite bothersome. "I know I'm supposed to be, like, this emotionless monster who has no ability to think, but-"_

"_In reality, you worry for my well being." Ha! Wondered how he liked that one. "I just love how you're not so uptight in my dreams. I wish you could take that thing off and have a beer with me."_

"_I'm always like this when we talk subconsciously. It's the only time I'm not being watched."_

"_Nah, man. I doubt it. I'm sure she's thinking, 'oh my god! My bogeyman isn't being an uptight prick!'"_

_He actually laughed at that, which was a surprise. "The Holy Mother doesn't sound like that." The smile was in his voice. "And she doesn't watch my inner thoughts, as your Walter does to you."_

"_Yeah… those nightmares seriously need to end," she replied. "I know he wants me to come back and all, but damn."_

"_He's ignorant."_

"_Ha! You sound like Hiei." Hm. Funny to think said Hiei was in her bed with her in the real world. He'd decided a bed was much better than trees or the old warehouse uptown. They hadn't slept together or anything. They just shaed the bed, drank, and talked. He still showered at Kurama's house, keeping up the rouse that they didn't practically live together. But he had his own toothbrush and even clothes at her place._

"_You like him a lot," the bogeyman said, stopping her thoughts. "I can tell by the way you speak his name."_

"_He's a nice guy, at heart," she replied, rolling her eyes. "You just have to get over the fact that he's a stubborn bastard, really."_

"_Wake up, Tamara," she heard the fire demon say, off in the distance. "We have to help Kurama do that thing for his mother's birthday."_

_She groaned loudly. "It's only been a week and he's already my personal alarm clock," she said, getting up off the couch and putting her cigarette out on the burned carpet. "I'll be back soon. Try and keep up with Henry's progress for me."_

"_Do you really want the Otherworld to perish?" he asked._

"_No. Just Walter," she told him, then went for the door. "I love you, my friend. Stay strong for me."_

"_Happy birthday, Tamara." The smile in his voice again. "I'll make sure you're happy this year. Promise."_

* * *

Tamara rolled over and looked at Hiei with a smile. She looked over at her end table and sweat dropped. Her alarm clock was unplugged.

"That horrid noise makes my ears bleed," he told her. "I can wake up on my own."

"Yeah, I get it, you're wonderful," she said with a yawn, stretching out. "I'm only human, man."

He smirked at the comment. "Well, it's early. You have time to get ready."

She pushed him away playfully as she sat up. "Well, thank goodness," she said. "It doesn't take me _that_ long."

"You're right. An hour and a half doesn't take long at _all_."

"Shut up." She got out of bed. "We can't all have a perfect appearance in the morning." She headed to the bathroom and started a bath.

As she undressed and looked at herself in the mirror, she realized that Pyramid Head had been right. It _was_ her birthday. She knew there was another reason behind requesting off work tonight.

She just hoped no one found out. They seemed to celebrate birthdays here. It was odd.

As she bent over the bathtub to check the water, the rose kept entangled in her hair fell out and into the water. Hm. That was odd. Seven years and it hadn't left her head once. She lifted it out gently and put it on the sink.

Walter had given her that flower on her fifteenth birthday instead of a cake. Said it would keep the nightmares away.

_Pffft_, she thought. _So much for that_.

* * *

"Hey, Shuichi," Yusuke called. He'd came to Kurama's early to bring news.

"Hello, Yusuke," he replied, smiling. "You're here quite early… Is that another case?"

The Spirit Detective looked at the file in his hand and grinned. "Nope," he replied. "It's Tamara's file from Spirit World, not that it's much."

The smile on the fox's face faded. "Why do you have that? Is there a warrant for her?"

"Nah, just interesting stuff. We'll have to take it to your room, though."

They made their way into the house and up the stairs. No, Koenma hadn't ordered Yusuke to bring Tamara in. besides feeding once a week, she wasn't causing any real damage to the Living World.

And Yusuke had been shocked to find out about her "special diet."

He opened up the file on Kurama's desk. "Check out her birthday."

Kurama looked and his eyes widened. "Why… It's today!" he exclaimed. "Isn't that nice… we should do something for her."

Yusuke shrugged. "She never told us. Maybe she didn't want us to know."

"Or maybe she's just never celebrated it," Kurama inquired. "I'm going to go talk to Mother. I'll be back."

* * *

"Hey, I'm not waiting on you," Hiei called. Tamara was applying her foundation in the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel.

"You never do," she called back. "Go shower. I'll be fine on my own."

"Hn." Hiei sat on the couch in the small living room. Just for that, he'd wait. He'd taken a shower before she woke up, anyway. He'd wanted them to show up together. He really just wished she wouldn't take forever.

He also wanted to ask her about becoming his "girlfriend" as humans called it. He'd been living with her for a week, and he already wanted more than the roommate and drinking buddy relationship. God, this was making him sick. He'd never had this feeling about someone before.

Tamara sighed softly in her room. She must've dropped her eyeshadow brush in the sink again. She could be awfully clumsy in the morning.

Unbeknownst to the fire demon, Tamara had seen her demon self in the mirror. And all she could do was sigh. She hadn't had enough to eat a couple nights ago.

After another fifteen minutes, she was out of the bathroom with a towel on her head. Her makeup was perfect, as usual. She was wearing nice jeans and a red button-up shirt.

She didn't seem shocked to see him there. "Let me fix my hair," she told him. "Then we can go. Promise."

Hn. Another "promise." Tamara said that shit all the time now. Like her promises were real. She hadn't fought the fire demon yet, and she'd had _four_ months' rest. She had gotten an update on her Otherworld, but she didn't want to talk about it. She'd just told him a lot was explained.

He heard her tiny hair dryer start up, and that went on for god knew how long. Tamara might have Caucasian hair, but it was so thick and curly that she could barely maintain it. She couldn't stand it, saying she was going to get a treatment to make it straight.

Hiei loved her hair just the way it was. Even if it sometimes got in his face at night.

"Hiei, get my rose from the bathroom," she called. "It fell out in the bath."

Damn demon rose. He complied, eyeing the rose carefully. It was literally entwined into Tamara's hair 24/7, so bloodred that it looked like it had been painted. But it had nev3er fallen out before. She'd always showered with it, and nothing ever happened.

Her shirt was off when he walked in. he could feel himself blushing. She rolled her eyes, continuing her hair drying.

"Changed my mind on the shirt," she said. "Just set it down. I got it."

Hiei's fingers shook as he tried to casually cross the room to put the flower on the bedside table. He managed, somehow. He just kept his gaze on her until he was out of the room.

At least the rain had stopped after almost a week. Tamara had found that she really hated the rain. It made her life so much more difficult. Especially when she was hunting.

* * *

They both noticed how demons were oggling her from the shadows. They were so ready to mate with someone who was outside of their race that they had no idea what they were getting themselves into.

Hiei _really_ did not enjoy the presence of other demons. But there wasn't much that he could do. At least, not without mating her himself.

They passed by her usual alley. She was going to have to move locations soon. The local law enforcement was all over the case of people mysteriously disappearing. She might have to start staying somewhere else, like uptown, on Wednesday nights.

"Hiei, why are these guys so bound and determined?" she asked. "I've never seen anything so feral, and I lived with Sniffer Dogs."

More of that Otherworld nonsense, he supposed. "Your breed is unknown, Tamara. People can smell it on you. You can take on any suitor you please, you just can't let them mark you."

"Oh." She fiddled with the now violet shirt she wore. "I don't want to take on any suitors… hey, wait! Is that why you like me?"

The fire demon almost faceplanted. "Uh, no," he said, a little hesitant. "What makes you think that I like you?"

"I can _smell_ it on you," she replied with a laugh. "It's okay, Hiei. I like you, too."

She took his hand then, walking faster. "I think I trust you more than I trust anyone, you know."

He laced his fingers with hers, easily keeping up the pace. "I'm glad," he said. "I'd wanted to talk to you about something, but it can wait until after the party."

"Hm. Okay."

It wasn't five minutes after they arrived that Hiei was kidnapped by the fox and the Spirit Detective, being dragged to Kurama's room. Keiko was trying to wrap gifts.

"Did you know, Hiei," Yusuke began, "that we have a serious dilemma?"

"Hn. Another case?"

"No. There are two birthdays today."

What? That was it? "I don't see how this is a problem, Yusuke."

"It's Tamara's birthday," Keiko piped up. "Yusuke found out when he was looking over her file this morning."

Hiei felt his face get hot and his eyes widen. Why hadn't she told him anything? "Okay," he said, trying to keep his cool. "What do you expect me to do?"

"We need to celebrate," Kurama said. "It's going to be a surprise, but we have her some gifts and things already, and her name is on the cake."

Oh, god. They were freaking out. That's why Hiei was glad no one knew when his birthday was.

* * *

The afternoon went smoothly. Food was good, people were nice. Tamara helped set up everything and was even getting food and drink for people. Just like work. But the people here were much more polite.

The evening came with cake and singing. For some reason, the rest of the group had her sit right by Kurama's mom. That was weird, until she saw the cake. Her name was on it as well as Kurama's mother's, candles making the room glow brighter.

They were all singing. Hiei was smirking at her from across the room, the only silent person there. Kurama's mom was smiling at her. Tamara smiled back. This was way unexpected. She could fee an emotional breakdown welling up, but she choked it down.

The two women blew the many candles out together. There were gifts. Even a few for her, from the group. Kurama had bought her a fan, unfolding to reveal a silver and red rose surrounded by the outlines of white flames. It was really pretty.

Keiko got Tamara a book. It was a popular "romance" novel. Tamara grinned. She didn't get to read enough, anyway. The fact that it was dirty just helped her get inspired.

"Keiko, I'm surprised," she told the younger girl. "How did you-"

"It's a favorite," she replied in a hushed tone. "All girls who read it love it."

She was blushing. Tamara laughed and picked up her last gift, an evelope that was from both Yusuke and Kuwabara. It was two tickets to the new horror movie coming out the night before Halloween. She would have to check the calendar on that.

Hiei and Tamara left together as well as came together. They waved goodbye to Kurama and Yusuke, smiles on their faces.

"You think those two are secretly dating?" Yusuke asked, grinning.

"No, not at all," the fox said, a smirk on his face. "I think they will let us know the next day."

"Well, you said they're meant for each other, right?"

Kurama laughed then. "No, I just made that part up. I just think that they would be good for each other."

Meanwhile, down the road, Tamara and Hiei were strolling toward the apartment. "So why didn't you tell anyone that today was your birthday?"

Tamara lit up a much-needed cigarette. It was almost midnight. Tamara was so full of cake that she was tempted to unbutton her pants. "I don't know," she answered. "I didn't want anyone to know, I guess. We never celebrated birthdays at home." Her eyes turned toward the ground. "At least, mine wasn't celebrated."

Hiei looked concerned, but she smiled reassuringly. "Hey, Walter got me a cake every year," she said, thinking back. "Except on my fifteenth… That was…"

That was the day she honestly couldn't remember very well. The night that man had hurt her, and Walter had left him to her mercy…

"That was what?" Hiei asked. He was in front of her now; she'd stopped walking. He was casually turned around.

"Nothing," she said. "It's no big deal."

"Hn."

* * *

She took her time taking off her makeup. She was more tired than imaginable. But she'd thought about that night, and that's probably what made her exhausted. Seemed that happened every time…

"Tamara," she heard Hiei call from the bedroom, "come on. I have a question."

She rolled her eyes, hurrying up her bedtime process.

Hiei was in his sweats, like usual, and sitting on the bed with a beer. He was nervous. No one else would have been able to tell, but nervousness was one of the feelings Tamara could detect very well. Everyone was always nervous in the Otherworld.

"Hey," she said. "What's up?"

"I don't know how you humans put it," he began, "but I think it goes like this…"

He was mentally preparing himself, probably for something embarrassing. He took a few deep breaths. "Will you… will you be… be my… uh… girlfriend…?"

She was trying so hard not to laugh, tackling him in a hug. "Yes, Hiei, don't blow a vessel," she replied. "I'll be your girlfriend."

She could see his sigh of relief. She was laughing, letting her guard down long enough to let him have an opportunity.

Her first kiss was open-mouthed and electrifying. Hiei tasted like a Cinnamon Starlight, peppermint with some spicy cinnamon in the center. Her lips were on fire. She wasn't sure what she was doing, but ater on she would realize she'd been a quick learner.

She was beneath him, then, and he was biting her lower lip. She groaned, moving her hips up to meet his, hands moving into his thick hair.

His lips grew hotter as he left a trail of kisses along her jaw and down her neck from her ear. He wasn't as aroused as he was in the dream, and that's why he wasn't almost burning her. He had a different intention.

She felt his hot tongue roughly against her shoulder. Once. His left hand was under her jaw, the right sliding up her side. Twice. His grip grew tighter. Was he going to mark her? Was she going to let him?

A third lick, and then a kiss there. Hiei's brain was in a fog. All he could think about was the noises the woman under him was going to make.

But first, he had to mark her. It was his instinct. It only made sense, the way he felt. Make her belong to him. He opened his mouth wide, a softer fourth and final flick of the tongue before he-

"No," she breathed. "Stop, please…"

Her words turned him on to a breaking point, but it brought him out of the fog. He sat up, positioned between her legs, and looked down at her.

She was sweating. Her tank top was slightly torn. Her shoulder was reddened from how rough his licks had been.

"What's wrong?" he asked. He knew it wasn't her first time. He could smell it.

"That was actually my first kiss," she told him with a laugh. "And you have to be sure about mating me. From what I've been told by the others, there's no going back unless the mate dies."

He moved to her side, moving both of them under the blanket. "Your first kiss?" he asked. She rolled her eyes at him, like he wasn't paying attention to everything she'd said.

Oh, he was sure. But maybe waiting would be good for the both of them. He wasn't sure if he was ready to give his heart to anyone, much less a half-breed.

He made her face him, nuzzling her and blanketing himself in her scent. "We'll wait, if you want," he said. "Just make sure _you're_ the one who's ready."

"Yeah, yeah." Her snoring followed after two minutes.

"Hn." He inhaled deeply. "Happy birthday, Tamara."


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Nightmare

**Chapter Fifteen: Nightmare.**

* * *

"It's my birthday, boy!"

The Sniffer Dog only tilted its head at Tamara. She was fifteen today. And nothing around here was smart enough to understand. Except Walter. Walter would understand. He'd gotten her a cake last year.

She passed a broken mirror on her way to see him. She was getting skinny. Too skinny. She was still pretty, but she didn't like how her ribs poked out.

The Sniffer Dog led the way, its tongue dragging the ground. It was quiet today. She doubted she would find any food when the sun fell.

She heard a gunshot. It was sudden. The Sniffer Dog took off toward the sound, only to be shot. The crying noise it made almost had Tamara crying, but she didn't have time for that. She wasn't armed. Walter had told her that she was too young and slow to not have a weapon outside her place.

"Shit!" She took off. Back then she didn't know how easily a little girl could manipulate people. She didn't figure that out until the next day. She took a loop around the worlds, knowing that her apartment would be a safe place until the night. After she transformed she could easily hunt down whoever had shot her Sniffer Dog.

She was alone. Was this her apartment? She switched on the light. Yes, home sweet home. She'd have to tell Walter to come here, even though he'd called for her. She couldn't leave without any kind of weapon.

"Well, well, well," she heard someone say. The voice frightened her. "Lost, little girl?"

* * *

Her whole body shook. She couldn't breathe; he was choking her. There was blood between her thighs. So much blood. Her face was bruised, covered with sweat, saliva and tears. She was drooling. Or maybe he was drooling on her.

Her neck hurt, but that was the only thing that hurt anymore. All the other bruises were numb. She could barely feel him inside of her. The only reason why her neck hurt was because of the bits of her skin missing from his teeth and nails.

She couldn't shake the dirty feeling. But her eyes started to roll back, and she felt the pain again. Then it wasn't just dirty. It was wrong. So wrong she was going to be sick.

The light in the girl's eyes started to fade. Was she going to die here?

"Stop," she choked. "Please… st-"

Black began to outline Tamara's vision. No one could help. No one. She was going to die with some fat bastard fucking her in the Otherworld.

The door opened. There was a gunshot. The thing invading her was gone. Something warm coated her stomach. Bright green eyes stared down at her.

"_You're mine, Tamara. All mine. Forever."_

* * *

Tamara jolted up so hard that she'd even woke up Hiei, maybe hitting his face in the process. But that could have been the scream that woke him up.

She broke off into a sob. How could she have remembered that much? How, when she'd never managed to before? Had just that one thought of it last night made it come back?

"Tamara," Hiei said loudly, holding his face and reaching behind the bed for his sword. "What is it!?"

She didn't say anything. She looked down at herself. She was still in her night clothes. It wasn't even morning yet. But somehow…

Tamara gagged, holding her hands to her mouth. She jumped over the fire demon and ran to the bathroom, bile rising in her throat.

Hiei watched her go. She had only been asleep for an hour. It was usually at least three hours when she woke up from a nightmare. And he hadn't learned that in a week. He had kind of stalked her for a few months for no apparent reason.

This one must have been bad. He threw the blanket off of himself and got up to go help. The least he could do was hold her hair back for her.

She was vomiting up everything she'd eaten, the wine and beer she'd drank. It tasted much worse coming back up. She felt Hiei's hands move about her face and take her hair out of the way. She much appreciated that. She felt the pain in her groin all over again, her hymen breaking, the pain of her too young sex being violated by some old bastard that didn't deserve to walk the earth.

"Are you okay?" she heard Hiei ask. He didn't seem concerned, but she knew he had to be.

She shook her head. "I had a nightmare. A bad one."

"Is someone messing with your head, Tamara?"

"No… no, this was a memory, Hiei. It was just… it was so vivid… It wasn't like I was sleeping at all."

She reached up and flushed the toilet but stayed over it, afraid that if she moved the wrong way she would puke again.

"Go back to bed," she told him. "As soon as I'm steady again, I'll be there. Promise."

"Hn." He let go of her. "Every time you say 'promise' I'm sure it's a lie."

She almost laughed. "No, Pyramid Head does that, too. Didn't realize I picked it up." She wiped the sweat from her brow. "It means that it'll happen. Sometimes it just takes awhile."

He brushed his hand over her left shoulder briefly before leaving the room. She stood slowly and walked over to the mirror.

Her eyes widened. She was fifteen again, a stupid grin on her face and little makeup. She was very thin again, looking like a starving child in those advertisements. But that wasn't her anymore. She wasn't that little girl anymore.

It was snowing ashes in the mirror. She could see an outline behind the teenager before her.

"Alessa!" she called. "Alessa, is that you? Please, help me!"

The girl turned back to look at the reflection. Tamara took hold of the mirror. "Alessa! Alessa!"

"Yes, child?"

The mark on her shoulder began to burn. The nightmare was taking over, becoming real. The little girl disappeared, Alessa taking her place in the reflection.

"What's happening to me?" Tamara asked. "I've never needed your help like this! I don't understand!"

The Holy Mother shook her head. "Tamara, you're going to be suffering like this until you find out the truth."

"The truth? What truth?"

Alessa had tears in her eyes. "The same thing happened to me, poor girl. Except that no one lied to me about it."

She swore she could feel a hand on her shoulder, but knew it was impossible. Alessa was in Nowhere, below the hospital.

"Don't fall for the trap, Tamara." The goddess turned away from her. "Stay outside until your time. You will get to leave again, maybe. I will alter time the best I can for you here. Just do not fall for it. I do not want you back here until you have spent your year."

"Wait, that's stupid!" Tamara screamed. "What am I going to do? This isn't helping!"

"All you have to do is understand, Tamara. And wake up."

Tamara let go and backed away from the mirror, against the wall. "Wake up?" she asked. "What do you mean, wake up?"

Alessa looked sad as she walked away. But why? What did she mean?

The wall faded away, crumbling at Tamara's feet. She looked behind her and let out a scream.

The hole. The hole going to the Otherworld. No. Not that.

"Hiei!" she called, running out of the bathroom, almost ripping the door from its hinges.

Hiei wasn't there anymore. She wasn't in her apartment above the Black Dragon. This almost looked like her apartment in the Otherworld. But it wasn't. Her old apartment didn't reek of betrayal and hatred. No, this couldn't be.

She made her way to the hall and looked to her left. Chains on the doors. Ghostly presences everywhere she turned.

She was in Room 302. The room Walter was born in. His mother. She was inside. Where was Henry?

"Hiei?" she said softly. No response. He was gone. She ran to the door, slamming herself into it. The chains rattled loudly, but she knew too well that no one could hear her on the other side.

"I'll kill you!" she screamed, turning around to face the apartment. "I swear on everything I am and everything you've ever given me that I _will_ kill you!"

She got no response, not even from the apartment she was in. That was enough to break her. She reached into the fridge and grabbed the bottle of wine.

"Wanna mock me?" she asked, saying this at the top of her lungs. "Wanna drive me _crazy_? I'll fucking show _you_ crazy!"

She began to break and destroy things she'd never broken before. There was lighter fluid in the cabinet. She grabbed it and doused the couch and the bed, and everything in between.

"I'll destroy her!" Tamara shouted. "I'll do it myself! She's not real, Walter! She isn't your mother! Get the fuck over yourself and die with her!"

Her zippo lighter was still in the bedroom. She lit it and threw it onto the bed, not flinching at the fire.

A mirror on the desk caught her eye. She was no longer Tamara. No, Tamara had black, curly hair and tan skin. This Tamara had no mouth or nose, or pupils. She didn't have hair, either. This wasn't Tamara.

She was face to face with the monster she'd become long ago. The monster she sometimes didn't want and at other times was grateful to have.

She was going to consume herself, she realized. She went toward the mirror. That was the only way she could save herself. She had to do it.

The clawed monster had her by the throat. The rose was missing from her head.

"Know the truth!" it screamed at her. "It isn't too late, Tamara! You have to know the truth about what happened!"

Tamara didn't have time to respond. She was eating her own human body, her monster form slowly taking on its full transformation, growing the broken wings of the dark angel she'd always dreamt of in her childhood nightmares.

That's all this was, right? A nightmare?

* * *

"No!"

Her eyes snapped open. She sat up in her bed too quickly, popping Hiei in the face. He groaned and looked at her with an angry gaze, but she didn't take notice. She was staring straight out the window. It was still nighttime. But was she really awake?

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Hiei asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I get that you have nightmares, but you're usually not that violent."

She was shaking. That was too vivid to be a regular dream. Something else was going on. It was almost as if she'd traveled in time. Now that was scary.

"Hiei," she started, holding back tears. "Did I leave?"

"What?" he asked. "No, you haven't moved since we went to sleep. Besides hitting me in the face just then." He rubbed his cheek. "What was that all about, anyway?"

She couldn't answer. She bit her lip so hard that she took skin, and it began to bleed. She let the sob tear out of her chest then.

She didn't even know what to say. She didn't know what it was all about. Had Alessa tried to warn her? Was something wrong? Was Walter just fucking with her head?

He hugged her, pulling her back down into the bed. "Hey, calm down," he said slowly. "Everything's going to be alright. I promise."

She brought herself flush against him, arm going around his waist. Her face against his chest. He laid on his back, watching her intently, one arm underneath her and the other against her arm that was around him.

She was in pain. Physical pain, he could tell. And she was scared. Shaking and crying like a lost child.

"That was too real," she said slowly. "That wasn't a normal nightmare."

"Go back to sleep, Tamara. It'll be okay. I'm here if you need anything."

It took her awhile to register what he said, but after a few minutes she took a long, deep breath. She was almost ready for bed again.

"Cigarette," she told him. "Lighter. Ashtray."

He nodded silently, a smirk on his face. She'd just needed a good cry, he supposed.


	17. Chapter Sixteen: The Truth

**Chapter Sixteen: The Truth.**

* * *

The nightmares only got worse over the next month. After rent, power, and a carton of cigarettes, Hiei had to go down to the Black Dragon and tell Hisao and Mizu that Tamara had fallen ill.

"What's she have?" Hisao asked. "I don't want to give her any more liquore if it might be making it worse."

"The flu," Hiei replied quickly. "A friend of ours had it for a couple of weeks. She asked me to tell you she'll be back ASAP and she's willing to pay for a bottle of brandy."

"Brandy?" Hisao looked confused. "She's never asked for that before."

"Hiei shrugged. "She says it's a remedy where she's from."

Mizu, the man who signed Tamara's checks, handed Hiei a very decorative bottle. "On the house," he said gruffly. "Tell Tamara I said to get well soon."

Hiei nodded and left the bar, heading back up to the apartment. No, Tamara never enjoyed brandy, bourbon, or whiskey. Said it reminded her of her childhood. But she wanted something that would get her drunker, faster.

She was smoking a cigarette on the fire escape, wiping tears from her eyes. She couldn't tell what was or wasn't a hallucination anymore. She just knew now that someone in the Otherworld was trying to tell her something. The truth, they kept telling her.

Hiei wordlessly placed the brandy, a glass, and a can of soda on the window sill before he climbed out and sat beside her.

"I want to help, you know," he said softly, taking her hand. "But you have to tell me what's goig on."

She sighed. It had been nearly a month since this started. She craved blood constantly, and could only transform once a week. There was a rage inside her that she couldn't explain. A hate. Disdain.

"On my fifteenth birthday, a man came into the Otherworld with a gun," she said, reaching behind her for the bottle. "He was drunk, he wasn't supposed to be there."

She took a swig from the bottle, flinching at the nasty taste and putting out her cigarette. She only lit another. "That man followed me to my apartment, Hiei. I was unarmed then, and young. I could hardly defend myself."

Hiei squeezed her hand. "He raped you, didn't he?"

She began to sob again. "Yes," she said. "But that's all right. The rose Walter gave me helps me forget about that day…"

The rose in her hair had lost most of its color, and the petals were beginning to crack.

"Everything is changing, Hiei," she continued. "I'm starting to remember, and it's not happening the way Walter told me. That man… his face keeps changing. He becomes more and more familiar…"

"Who does he look like?"

She shook her head. "I wish I knew. But I have no idea. But for the past week, Walter hasn't come to save me." She took another swig. Another drag. "It's always after he's telling me to wake up, that he was sorry."

"Maybe he was actually too late."

"No, it's something else," she replied. "I can hardly think anymore. If they would just give me one night…"

"I'll help," he said. "I'll use my Jagan Eye to reveal what really happened."

"You'll see the Otherworld if you do that," she said quietly. Another drag. Another wig. "I'm not sure if you can handle that."

"Hn. You forget that I'm from Demon World. I'm not a human."

"You lost your lunch the first time you saw me feed."

"You were fucking with me and you know it."

She laughed for the first time in a few days. "All right, you can help. If you can handle it."

"Hn."

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. The kid was dedicated, she gave him that. He only left her side to let her feed. Or when he was helping his friends. And when they showered and such.

But he was with her a majority of the time, anyway. They were always together. If she didn't know better, she'd think she loved him.

She looked at him slyly. Did she?

No way. There was no way in hell. It had only been a month since they became official, and she wasn't sure if anyone even knew about them. She thought they might've noticed on Halloween, but Hiei didn't exactly do public display off affection. And by the time the night had come, he had to go help Yusuke with a case. That had not been fun, being stuck with Keiko and her non-drinking philosophy. But at least Shizuru had been there to drink with her.

She sighed again, closing her eyes. It was going to be a long night.

"Are you sure about this, Hiei?" she asked.

"Sure about what?" he asked in return. He was staring up at the sky, hands behind his head. He sure was casual about going into the pits of hell with her tonight.

"About any of it," she said. "Going there with me, even if not physically. And you've been helping me so much… even though we've only been together for almost a month. You don't have to do this. The Hiei I met five months ago would never have helped me."

"Hn." He stood up, looking down at her with a serious face. "If I thought I was wasting my time here, Tamara, I wouldn't have anything to do with you."

She scoffed. "Love you, too, man."

She didn't realize what she'd said, but he sure did. He looked at her with wide eyes. Did she really have to say that at a time like this?

She didn't know what to say when it finally hit her. She just gave him an awkward grin, laughing a little. "Let's get ready for bed, now," she said, sitting up and throwing her cigarette off the escape. "This brandy will stay good til the morning."

Hiei watched her scramble through the window. Should he say it back? What should he do? Let it slide? There was no way she'd meant that.

"Stop over thinking," she called from the bathroom. "I sometimes feel like I can hear you when you think too hard."

"Hn." He came back into the bedroom and started to change, getting into his usual sweats. Even though he somehow felt he'd need to be fully clothed for this journey, even though he wasn't going there physically.

She was brushing her teeth. He noticed the brandy still sitting on the bedside table. He decided to leave it; she might need a drink after this.

* * *

For the first time since he'd met her, it took Tamara awhile to fall asleep after she laid down with him. Hiei's Jagan was unraveled, ready to go with her into her dreams. Or nightmares. Either way, he was almost nervous to go.

"You don't have to," she whispered into his ear. They'd been cuddling for an hour. She loved how warm he always was. She only used the blanket to keep all the heat for herself.

"I want to," he whispered back.

She kissed his cheek again. "You're a great boyfriend," she said with a laugh.

He smirked. "I know this. And you're the greatest girlfriend."

She sat up a little. "Really?"

"Really." He took her face and kissed her. She really was wonderful. He just wanted to help her.

It was almost one in the morning when she fell asleep, and Hiei took her hand and placed it on his chest, closing his eyes. It was time to go.

* * *

She was holding his hand. "Welcome to the Otherworld, Hiei." They were both dressed, he in his usual and Tamara wearing a black tube top and denim skirt. She'd always said all she had were slutty clothes back then.

There was fog all over the place. And trees. It wasn't that big of a deal. "I don't see what you meant by I couldn't handle it."

She laughed. "Oh, trust me," she told him, winking. "I'm not sure what's going on today, but I doubt it's anything good. But at least it's daytime."

"What's the difference at night?"

"If we stay long enough, you'll see. But if we're traveling in time, there won't be a night time when we get there."

He gave her a questioning look as they started walking. "The Otherworld was just the Otherworld before the Holy Mother came," she explained. "When she took over, we just became a part of Silent Hill."

"Hn." He still didn't quite understand. Did this Silent Hill undergo some sort of transformation at night?

They kept walking. Tamara was silent, jumping at the sound of a leaf hitting the ground. He never realized how heightened her senses were. She had picked up a steel pipe as a weapon, as if she expected someone unwanted to show up. She was acting all too paranoid. It was unusual.

"Do you hear that?" she asked him.

He tuned in. Yes, he did hear something. Someone walking towards them. Or something. It seemed to be on two feet, anyway. Walking casually.

"Stop," she said. "It could be Walter. And if it's him he'll send me straight into the nightmare and you straight into the torture."

"I'm not worried about some fool."

"Jeez. You'll learn."

Even through the fog, Hiei knew he could see better than Tamara. Whoever it was, he was big. Really big. And carrying a big stick.

A stick that was thrown straight at them. A spear.

Drawing his sword, Hiei jumped in front of Tamara and sliced the spear clean in half before it reached her. She moved him to the side quickly.

"It's just Pyramid Head. This is a game, trust me."

Another one. She caught it before Hiei could even move, smirking like the king of the world. "Your tricks get old, dude!" she shouted, throwing it back with a lot less stamina. He could tell that the figure caught it easily.

"This is Hiei! He's a telepath, too, so feel free to try out communicating!"

_Hello, Hiei_, a voice in his head called out. It was deep. Quite masculine. _I'm the Bogeyman. Tamara has told me much about you._

"Hn."

"Don't mind him. Like I said, stubborn bastard until you get to know him." That's what she'd told him about Hiei? He had to keep himself from rolling his eyes.

The figure appeared clearly in his vision now. He was tall and muscular, wearing what looked like a skin loincloth about his waist. He was dirty and covered in blood. But that's not what had Hiei worried.

This man had no head. At all. On his shoulders was a three-dimensional steel triangle. A pyramid. It was rusted and bloody as well. That's why he walked so casually.

"God, you haven't changed in the last two weeks."

_You're one to talk. _Hiei swore the bogeyman shrugged his broad shoulders. _The Holy Mother told me that you would be arriving today. She said that you were ready, as long as you had him._

He gestured to the fire demon beside her. Tamara grinned. "Yeah, I guess you could say he's going to help me out," she said. "I'm losing sleep over this crap. And you know I like my sleep."

_Yes, you complained every night for five and a half years about how you hadn't slept._

"Hey, I slept for a week when I met this guy," she said. "And hey, don't I owe you a scrap?"

"Don't you have something else to do, Tamara?" he asked. God, she must really like this one. She was just talking to him like she was visiting.

_He has a point, Tamara. This isn't a time for jokes._

She calmed herself. No, it wasn't the time for jokes. She had to do this. She was just scared that if she went insane she'd never get to see Pyramid Head again. And he was her best friend. Insane people didn't make it here. Shit, Walter didn't exactly come out alright.

"Let's get this done." Her whole tone had changed. "You know the day I have to go back to, Pyramid Head. Even if you didn't know me then."

_I'm very aware. You know what to do, Tamara. I was just told to bring you greetings._

"Eh, you know you missed me."

Hiei thought he heard the monster laugh for a moment, but that couldn't be. The bogeyman turned and began to walk away.

"Come on," she said. "Thanks for snapping me out of that. I just can't be businesslike with Pyramid Head. He was my only buddy."

"Hn." He could smell Tamara on him. It was faint, from long, long ago, but he could smell it. He'd fucked her. A few times. Could he be the one they were really after?

The fog began to change. The wind was blowing so hard that the rose flew from Tamara's hair, taking a few strands with it as it turned to dust.

"I guess that's a sign," she said.

They held hands as they went through the Otherworld, Tamara leading the way and wondering if she'd ever be able to see Pyramid Head as a sane human being again.

* * *

"Are you ready?" the fire demon asked her.

"Yeah." She could barely breathe.

They were outside her apartment in the Otherworld. There were strange noises all around them. None of which Tamara paid attention to. Probably because this was her dream and she knew that none of it was real.

Or was it real and Hiei just had a hard time believing it? That spear he'd sliced through had been solid. It had been too real. This wasn't a normal dream. Tamara had taken him into another world by letting him enter her mind. They had traveled into a new dimension with only her subconscious.

They were silent as Tamara opened the door. She walked in, the fire demon right behind her.

It was the apartment they were staying in. Above the bar. This wasn't anything like she'd described her old apartment to be. "What the hell is this?" he asked.

"See? You wouldn't be able to do this alone, either. It's too mind blowing."

"Hn. I never said that."

She continued to the bedroom and he followed. There was no one in the bed,, underneath Tamara's blue comforter. There was, however, a rather large hole in the wall that connected to the bathroom. But instead of the bathroom on the other side, there was only blackness. It was almost like a tunnel. There were red markings around it, very similar to the mark on Tamara's shoulder.

"So in your dreams you destroy our apartment?"

"Shut up. This is where we go next.," she told him. "It'll take us to the memory. And since the rose is gone, I guess that it'll change and show us what really happened. Use your telekinesis to find out who he is. I can't always see him, and it's not uncommon for me to become my fifteen-year-old self again."

He nodded. So this was when he'd be alone, maybe. That was alright. As long as he could get out of here and get her nightmares to stop.

She went into the hole first, steel pipe still in hand. He began the buildup of his demon energy as he followed. There was a faint light at the end of the tunnel beyond.

"Tamara, is the truth what you want?"

He wasn't sure if he'd said this out loud or not, but she'd heard him. "It is, but I'm not sure I'm ready. Not yet. But it has to end, and I know that if I have you it'll work out for the best."

She climbed out of the hole, and his exploration of her memories began.

Images began to almost physically float past him. He took Tamara's hand.

"There is no way I'm going to let you feel that pain again," he growled. "Focus on the truth and I'll help you find it."

She closed her eyes. "Thank you, Hiei."

"I love you, Tamara."

He wasn't sure if she heard him. Eyes open, she stared at the scene before her. He wasn't sure where they were. Probably her old apartment from the Otherworld.

"You're the most beautiful girl in the world, Tamara."

A much younger, much thinner Tamara was sitting at a small table alone. She was eating a slice of cake, boney fingers shaking a little as she lifted the fork to her mouth. It must have been the first time she'd eaten in days. Behind her was a man wearing a large trench coat, with shoulder-length, dirty, blond-brown hair and a five o'clock shadow. His eyes were a light hazel-green. He was smiling.

"You say that every time," the young girl told him. "Every time you see me. I'm too skinny, I think."

She hadn't changed much from that, Hiei noticed. "Thanks, though," the girl continued. "I never celebrated my birthday in that place."

"It's all right, my dear. This birthday will be one to remember."

The scene faded. They were in an empty apartment. It was destroyed from a fight. Noises crashed around them, echoing. Glass breaking, furniture being turned over. A cry of fear and a cry of aggression. A scream. A groan. Something that sounded like a zipper.

"_Let me indulge just once, Tamara. I promise that it won't hurt. Our sins will be forgiven, I promise."_

Tamara and Hiei stood there, holding hands. She had tears in her eyes. The smears on the walls were probably blood.

The door to what Tamara knew was the ruined bed4room was closed. The springs in the worn mattress were squeaking violently. They could hear a much younger Tamara sobbing.

"_No! Please, stop! I'll do whatever you want, just please get off me! It hurts!"_

"It's happening," the older Tamara said. "I don't understand… there's no way that Walter…"

That had been Walter? The man who had taken Tamara in from the Wish House?

She released his hand, her whole body shaking, walking toward the closed door. The steel pipe in her hand crashed to the floor. Hiei could hear her starting to cry.

As the door opened, the older Tamara disappeared. He had to fight to keep his cool. He'd figured it out, and he was sure that the real Tamara had as well. Walter had raped her. He'd raped her and then gave her a cursed rose to block out the memory.

But Tamara had to see it for herself, and now she was feeling it. The door was open. Hiei stepped forward, keeping his Jagan Eye focused, blocking out the shadows he knew were trying to take him to a strange nightmare. She was going to have the truth now, and he was going to be there when she woke up. She deserved to know after a month of both physical and mental torment.

Hiei didn't go past the doorway. He drew his sword as he peered in, focusing on the darkness. He gasped, his eyes widening.

It had, indeed, been Walter who raped Tamara on her fifteenth birthday. But he hadn't realized just how brutal the older man had been. She hadn't given him details, after all.

There was blood on the mattress, the source coming from between Tamara's small thighs. He had her by her throat, choking her. She was struggling weakly now, her face and neck bruised with rough fingerprints and teeth marks. A few of the bites were bleeding.

"_You're mine, Tamara."_

The young girl jolted. The noise she made next was almost one of pleasure, then, but her eyes still begged for the pain to cease. The color was draining from her dark skin.

"_Only for tonight_," the man growled. "_Only tonight, I promise_…"

He pulled out of her, his semen shooting out onto the girl's stomach. Her blank eyes turned to Hiei, and the fire demon could see the older Tamara in them. She wanted out. She was ready to wake up now.

* * *

They both jolted awake in the real world, but only Tamara went into the bathroom with a hand across her mouth.

Hiei was sweating. He got out of bed and opened the window to the fire escape. The late November air felt nice, getting rid of the unnecessary heat.

He heard her in the bathroom. She was talking to that "Holy Mother" again that appeared in the mirror.

But after feeling, hearing, and seeing what he saw with his Jagan, there was not a doubt in the fire demon's mind that everything she'd spoken of was real. It had all been too vivid.

In the bathroom, the Holy Mother Alessa Gillespie was looking at Tamara through the mirror.

"I'm sorry, Tamara," she said. "It was the only way-"

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't _burn_ my way back there!" Tamara wasn't sick anymore. She was pissed. More pissed than all the liquor and cigarettes in the world could handle. "I'll go kill him now, Alessa, I swear!"

"That's exactly what he wants you to do, Tamara!" The Holy Mother's power made the scar on Tamara's shoulder ache. "That rose did not crumble on its own. Walter broke his spell on you so you could go back to him! You can't possibly beat him this way. A belonging of the Otherworld cannot simply become more powerful than its creator."

Tamara was tired of the games. She was tired of Silent Hill's rules. She stared in the mirror, her eyes going white. She didn't care if Walter was immortal. She'd eat him if she absolutely had to. "Tell me how to destroy him."

Alessa sighed. She seemed to be just as frustrated. She definitely wasn't happy. "I will share something with you, and you mustn't tell," she said. Her gaze hardened. "The day you are required to come back is exactly one week before Walter Sullivan's death. When that is done, your time as a part of the Otherworld will come to an end, if you please."

The grey returned to Tamara's eyes. Now that was some good news. She was filled with sudden joy. "So… so I can leave forever after he's dead?" she asked.

"Yes, but if you leave and fight now, you may not be able to return. The Assumption may seal you to him for eternity. That's probably his plan."

"Tell me what to do next," Tamara said. "I want to make sure I can come back, no matte what happens."

"Mark yourself of this world."

Alessa was gone, as was Tamara's rage. Walter was going to die. He was going to die! And Tamara was going to be there to watch!

And then she could come back to Hiei. Surely he could wait a week for her to come back? But she couldn't tell him the future. No, that would change everything. This had to be kept to herself.

She stepped out of the bathroom. Hiei was tying his headband, covering the eye that had so greatly enhanced his telepathy. She smiled at him.

"Feeling better?" he asked. He looked tired. He was ready to go back to sleep.

"I love you, too, Hiei," she told him.

Yes, she'd heard him. But she'd just been too shocked at the time. She'd almost lost hold of the memory she was looking for. But now she knew what to say. She knew what she wanted. How she felt.

She thought that was the first time the fire demon really smiled, all-well, most of-the cockiness gone in his face. He moved with his demonic speed and kissed Tamara on the mouth, grabbing her face with both hands.

She smiled into his lips. This was just the beginning. Eventually she was going to be able to leave the Otherworld forever. And then she could spend the rest of her life with the fire demon in front of her.


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Mating, Part One

**Chapter Seventeen: Mating, Part One.**

**(A/N: ****WARNING! ****These next two chapters containt adult material that isn't the usual Horror genre. Yes, this means it's a ****LEMON****. Skip this chapter if you don't want to know what happens!)**

* * *

Typical day. Yusuke was wandering the streets, having skipped school because he simply didn't feel like going. Kuwabara was going to get out of school in a few minutes, and so would Keiko. Kurama was already out of school, leaving early because of some stupid holiday.

"Hey, Kurama," he said casually, grinning like the fool he was. "How was expanding your education?" They were meeting up at Kuwabara's school.

"I'd like to think that you may enjoy it as much as I do, Yusuke," the fox responded. Not that he enjoyed it all too much. He just liked making his mother happy. "Have you seen Hiei today?"

"He should be on his way. He's got something to tell us and apparently it's important."

"Hm." Hiei rarely had anything to say to them about anything he deemed important. He wondered what was going on… It had been three days since anyone had heard from him. He'd been acting weird for a couple of months now.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear."

Kurama looked up to see Hiei perched in a tree, in a very relaxed position.

"What, you gossip about me now?" the fire demon asked, jumping down. He looked toward the school gate. "So the fool hasn't come out yet. Good."

"So what is it that you have to tell us, Hiei?" Kurama asked. "Yusuke says it's important."

"Yes, it is," he said, and closed his eyes. Kurama noticed something different about his smirk. He only thought Hiei grinned like he owned the world before. Now the fox was convinced that the fire demon really thought he owned them all.

"As you know, it's been hard to track me down," Hiei began. The two nodded. "This is because for the past two months I have been with Tamara."

Yusuke almost fell over. Kurama wasn't near as surprised. "That makes sense, I told you that you two would come to get along."

"She's my girlfriend, Kurama. We live together."

Yusuke, who had only just got up, fell over again, this time even harder. Kurama laughed.

"Dude, we haven't even noticed!" Yusuke half-shouted. "You could at least hold her hand in public, you know!"

Hiei's smirk only grew and he almost laughed. "She has a hard enough time thinking she doesn't fit in with our little group. I don't want to make her uncomfortable by having you fools laugh at her."

"She's a tough one if she can date you," Yusuke retorted. "Just try being all cute with her. Maybe it'll take your mind off Kuwabara getting all cozy with Yukina."

Oh yeah, the smirk was gone. "Really, Yusuke?" Kurama asked. "You didn't have to take it that far."

"All right, I'll show that idiot."

"Oh, no."

Yusuke was grinning. Well, Kurama knew that Hiei was the perfect gentleman to Yukina, even going so far as taking her jacket for her and helping her with just about anything. He was kinder than he could ever be to her. And if he was actually _dating_ a girl…

God. That meant that Hiei would be sweet as he could be. But that also meant that he would be more territorial if he'd already mated with her. And fire demons were a force to be reckoned with if their mates were messed with.

"So, two months and you haven't told us?" the Spirit Detective said. "You two are cute together. I hope it lasts."

"Hope what lasts?"

Kuwabara was leaving school, his bag over his shoulder. Hiei sent him a glare before he turned his crimson gaze back to Kurama.

"I'm going to mate her tonight, Kurama," he said casually, as if it were just he and the fox.

Yusuke and Kuwabara both fell over. And the poor ginger didn't even know what was going on. He just came at the wrong time.

"Th-That's a big commitment, Hiei," Kurama said, trying to keep it cool. He really wasn't sure how to feel about it. Even if he had set it up. "You know it's permanent, right? And that the feelings you two have for each other will change completely."

"Hn." Hiei shrugged. "If I get bored with her, I can always kill her or let her mate someone else."

It was Kurama's turn to fall over. The two human boys were just staring. "I love her, though," he continued. "And I doubt I can get bored with something so interesting."

"Wait, who is the shrimp talkin' about?" Kuwabara asked. "How can someone like him get a girlfriend? I personally always thought that he was-"

"Dude, he's dating Tamara. And has been for a couple of months." Yusuke was grinning still, trying to ignore the "I'll kill her if I get bored" comment.

"_What_!? But she's a _human_! There's no one that hates humans more than Hiei!"

"I know, right? I'm not sure what happened there. But hey, he says he loves her!"

"Tamara isn't ordinary, like you two fools." Hiei glared at them. "She has demon in her and you both know it. Or maybe she's just psychic like some of the other idiots we've found around here. Either way, she's not just a human. Not to me."

Yusuke began to make fun by making kissing noises. Kurama swore that Hiei was almost blushing. Kuwabara tried to join in the fun, only to have Hiei begin to walk away.

"When we come over tonight, Yusuke, don't make a scene," he called, not turning back. "I'll probably be there before her, she's working late to train the new waitress."

Kurama shook his head. He hoped that Hiei was going to be ready for the day she decided to leave for the Otherworld. Even if she did come back, Hiei would have to stay behind and wait for Tamara to finish her business there.

* * *

The evening came quickly. Hiei was staring out the window, doing his usual thing. Yusuke and Kuwabara were arguing over something irrelevant, as they usually did. Botan, Keiko, and Shizuru were talking about next week when Yukina was coming back for a visit from Demon World. Kurama was cooking.

He did enjoy to cook every now and again. It was relaxing. Took his mind off of things. It was better than talking to the girls or arguing with the boys about the stupid things. Hiei was too zoned out, probably thinking about what he'd be doing later tonight.

Tamara was walking down the street, just a block away. She had her handgun strapped to her thigh, wearing a knee-length black skirt and her purple work shirt. She was wearing a heavy black coat. Her boots were knee-length as well, but flat footed unlike the heels she usually wore outside work. The bar had just been too cold to wear tennis shoes. The skirt was a bit much, but it was easier than tucking in her work pants.

Her pocket knife was in her bra. The demons were out really bad today. And she didn't want to be forced into courtship. Not when she planned on being mated later on.

Yusuke's apartment window was lit up. Everyone was there already, then. Probably playing video games and eating, as they so often did when there wasn't an interesting movie or concert going on.

She made her way up the steps of the complex, her mind totally preoccupied on work. That new waitress was an idiot. She'd have to train her again tomorrow night as well, and that was the night when she covered Hisao's shift as bartender. That meant a whole night of dealing with her idiocracy.

She was just happy that she'd gotten off work early to have dinner. By the time she usually got to Yusuke's house, everyone was finishing a movie without her.

It wasn't like she could hang out on Wednesday nights, though.

She knocked. It was really cold outside. Tamara had always hated December weather, even if it was still early. It pissed her off to be cold. Even the brief chills in the Otherworld had put her in a foul mood.

"Hey, Tamara," Shizuru said as she opened the door. She noticed the unlit cigarette in the dark skinned girl's mouth. "Need a light?"

Tamara nodded, shivering as she came inside. Shizuru reached into her pocket and handed her a black lighter. The lighter that she refused to lose for anything or anyone. Tamara sometimes wondered what it meant to her, but she never asked.

"What's up, guys?" she said as she started to unzip her coat. It felt amazing in the house. "I seriously think I should invest in a car, because this weather is just-"

Hiei was behind her, helping her out of her jacket. She blushed slightly. He smiled at her.

Ah, so he'd told them today. No one was particularly paying attention to them. At least, not yet.

They weren't until Hiei kissed her, at least not open-mouthed. She didn't resist, but it was still weird. This was the first time in front of their friends.

She looked around at them. All eyes were on her, big and almost frightened. It wasn't that they didn't like her, or that she didn't like them. She just didn't think they would enjoy her dating someone in the group. She didn't want them to shun her out or make fun of her.

Then again, she realized, making fun was something that they did to each other often. And she and Hiei made fun of each other all the time.

"Is it just me, or is Hiei growing to normal height?" Kuwabara asked, breaking the silence. "Even though Tamara's short, too, he looks almost her height. Or Tamara, are you shrinking?"

She laughed. Oh, this was going to be fun. "Don't worry, Kuwabara, I'm making sure Hiei drinks his milk so he can grow." She winked at the fire demon, who had a faint blush across his cheeks. The room was filled with laughter.

"Hn," he growled. "She's not wearing heels, Kuwabara. She's as tall as me without them."

"Oh, don't be mean," Tamara said playfully, finally lighting her cigarette and handing the lighter to a smiling Shizuru.

Kurama came in from the kitchen. "Tamara, care to help me cook? I'm afraid it won't all be done in time if I continue by myself."

Tamara nodded, leaving the laughing group behind.

* * *

After dinner, Hiei had asked her to sit with him at his usual bay window. They both talked to the group from this spot, her leaning against him while he was relaxed against the wall, arm around her waist. He was usually giving her neck and shoulder small kisses when no one was looking, leaving a hot trail across her skin. She'd mouth _stop_ at him, giving him a smile. He'd always shake his head and continue nuzzling and kissing.

"Okay, this is just weird!" Kuwabara said loudly, pointing over at Tamara and Hiei. Both crimson and steel gaze met his, Hiei's tiny smirk turning into a frown almost instantly. Tamara just looked shocked.

"Hiei is obviously not an affectionate guy!" Kuwabara continued. "He's, like, the cruelest person that we know." Keiko gasped. Obviously no one wanted to face the wrath of the little fire demon behind her. "So how do you do it, Tamara? Is he hypnotizing you or what?"

God, Kuwabara was as stupid as Hiei often said he was. And to think she'd defended him. She put her hand over Hiei's mouth before he could say something, and stood up from the bay window.

The room grew silent. Kuwabara stood still, his knees shaking. He'd been kind of scared of Tamara ever since he'd found out she ate a whole person once a week. And she was so nice other than that. Well, when she wasn't being a smartass.

"I think you're just jealous," she said. His eyes widened. No, she wasn't going there.

"Hey, I'm not jealous," Kuwabara said. "I have a girlfriend, and I love her more than anything in the world."

Tamara almost laughed. "Yeah, but Hiei's gettin' more ass from me than you are from-"

Kurama put a hand over her mouth then, sending her a message with his demonic mind.

_Yukina is Hiei's little sister. I'd be careful about what you say._

She looked at Hiei. He didn't look embarrassed. He looked almost satisfied, hands behind his head. Like he was waiting to blow up after she'd finished her sentence.

Kuwabara just looked confused. Everyone else was laughing quietly, trying to contain the outburst they really wanted to have. She knew that Yukina was looking for her brother, but she didn't know that it was Hiei. Why hadn't he told her? Hell, why didn't Tamara know?

She grinned at Kuwabara. "You get it, there's no need for me to finish." She walked back over to her spot. "And to think I defended you last week when Hiei was talking about finally putting you out of your misery."

The ginger's face was all she needed. She'd gotten her taste of fear for one day.

* * *

Yusuke put on some cheesy movie to watch. But at least it wasn't one they'd all seen before. Well, except Kuwabara, who seemed to enjoy Martial Arts movies more than anyone there.

Tamara and Kurama were in the kitchen, alone, putting up dishes. She was still munching on a piece of chocolate.

"Tamara," Kurama said, "I want you to know that Hiei told me about your plans tonight."

Chocolate falling onto the floor, she made eye contact with the fox. "He told you what?"

"He told me that you two planned to mate tonight. I want you to know that I agree with his decision, as I wanted you two to get together in the first place."

She set the plate she'd been holding in the cabinet. "You're telling me that he told you about mating me?"

"Yes. He loves you, Tamara. Don't take him telling me the wrong way."

She sighed. "I guess I don't," she said quietly. "Guy talk is guy talk, I suppose. I'm just surprised. Then again, you are his best friend."

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "I'm his best friend?" he asked.

Tamara smiled at him. "Of course you are, silly," she replied. She gave the fox a one-armed hug. "That's all he ever tells me about when he comes home after a case. He trusts you more than he trusts me, and I might be his mate later tonight."

He smiled at her. "I'm surprised Hiei could call anyone a friend at all, much less a best friend," he told her. "He's not the nicest person."

"No, once you get past that asshole exterior, Kurama, he's a totally new person." She leaned against the counter. "He's helped me so much in two months that I feel like a whole new me."

"So it was you he was helping?" he asked. "I mean, after he told me about you I figured that it was, but he never gave me any real details."

She looked down. It had been almost four days. "Someone back home was trying to contact me through my dreams. Hiei helped me interpret it."

"Ah."

She turned to walk out. She didn't know what else to say to him about it. She didn't want to say anything to him about what they'd found out.

"Oh, and Tamara?"

"Yeah, Kurama?" She looked back at the red head with a slight smile.

"I'll grow you a new rose if you like. One that won't die when you travel dimensions."

She laughed slightly. "All right, Kurama, that sounds good to me."

* * *

Hiei couldn't even wait until the apartment to start touching Tamara. They'd walked two blocks before they were in an alley, Tamara against the cold brick walls of some building. He was kissing her from her mouth to what little of her chest was exposed, moving to her neck and then her ear and her jaw again.

"Hiei…" she said, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Calm down, dude, I have a bed at my place."

He chuckled against her skin, his warm hands running up her thighs and fingers clutching at her skirt. "I don't want to wait for you to be mine anymore."

She blushed, feeling a familiar warmth pool in her lower stomach. "I'm serious," she breathed, hands reaching into his hair. "In the apartment. I don't want them watching."

Hiei turned around. He'd almost forgot about all the demons around, trying to court the half-demon psychic that he had in his arms. They were staring at her like she was a piece of meat. she bore no mark of Hiei's, and that made her up for grabs.

He growled at them, something deep and feral that he didn't know he could do. It made them back up, but not far enough for him. He began to draw his sword.

Tamara's hand was over his, her lips against his ear. "Let's just go," she said. "I promise it'll be worth it once we get home."

He smirked. Whatever she wanted. He sheathed his sword and took her hand, leaving the alley and heading to the apartment.


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Mating, Part Two

**Chapter Eighteen: Mating, Part Two.**

* * *

They didn't just hop under the covers as soon as they got home. Tamara brushed her teeth and smoked a cigarette while Hiei fixed the usual two glasses of wine. They sat on the fire escape and talked for awhile, staring at the sky.

"I didn't know that Yukina was your sister," she said after awhile. "Why didn't you tell me?"

The fire demon shrugged. "It doesn't matter. She has no idea who I am."

That almost hurt. "You should tell her, Hiei. She's looking all over the place for you."

He looked at her. "I don't think you understand, Tamara. I want her to be happy. Having me as a brother doesn't equal happiness."

She looked down through the metalwork of the fire escape, taking a long drag from her cigarette. "If I had a younger sibling, I'd want them to know about me. I'd want them to know everything."

Hiei raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Oh, yeah. The people at the Wish House said my parents were too young for kids, and that's why they left me." She thumped her cigarette away. "I would like to think that they moved on, but I'd like to find them one day. And at least figure out what was going through their heads when they left me outside a subway security station."

"Hn." He put his arm around her. "Maybe one day you can find them."

She shrugged, kissing the forearm by her face. "Yeah, maybe."

* * *

He kissed her slowly when they came inside. He didn't rush into it at all, but it sent electric signals down Tamara's spine. Being the only person she's ever kissed, she couldn't imagine anything as good as this. His heat, his taste, how soft his lips really were. He was amazing in every way she could imagine.

They laid down on the bed, Hiei climbing on top of her. She could feel the heat rising, his tongue becoming hotter on hers. His hands roamed her sides, stomach, and legs while she tangled her hands in his hair, arching her body to touch his.

He moved his lips to her neck. "I want you," he growled.

"I know," she whispered. "Do whatever you want, Hiei."

She could feel the grin against her skin, followed by a nibble. She gasped at the sensation.

It started to get hot. Very hot, very quickly. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the bandages in the air, black fire burning them up. The Darkness Flame she'd heard so much about. He was going to use it here?

The fire was all around her. She felt it against her back, licking up her arms to her wrists to bind them down. Hiei was taking her clothes off with ease, the flames not touching them. The tattoo on his right arm was amazing, extending from nearly his shoulder to the back of his hand, wrapping around it like the arm belonged to the dragon and not the demon.

It hadn't truly bound her, only held her still to be undressed. She sat up and met Hiei's lips, her hand gently stroking the tattoo on his arm. Hiei's breath hitched. She brought his hands to her lips and kissed his palm.

He moved his hand and touched her face. She was beautiful. A diamond among stones. She took his hand and kissed the back of it, where the dragon was, keeping eye contact with the fire demon as she did so. Her steel eyes never left his crimson ones, hypnotizing him. He had to have her.

But first, he wanted to see just how hot she could get before she gave in to him.

The fire moved to restrain her then. She fell backwards onto the bed, struggling lightly against her bonds. Interesting how she wasn't turned to ash by now, but she could feel her flesh beginning to burn. She wondered how long she was going to have to do this.

He took his own shirt off, looking at her nude body carefully. He wanted to touch, kiss, bite, lick every inch of her. And he would do so. She did tell him to do whatever he wanted.

His breath was hot on her skin as he moved to her neck again, only the opposite side. He was kissing from her neck to her jaw to her ear, his body temperature rising. She knew there could be red marks on her later. His hands moved to her breasts, massaging and squeezing experimentally. She groaned, moving her body toward his the best she could.

When her hips ground against his, he jolted in shock, his hands moving down to her sides and gripping, growing hotter. He dug his fingernails in a little, barely breaking into her skin. She gasped. That heat… that was the heat from the dream.

He sat up, smirking at her. She had a bead of sweat on her forehead. Was she already that hot? Then again, the Darkness Flame was holding her down, keeping her from moving.

He began to explore with his hands, then, keeping his eyes on her face. His left hand on her hip, he reached down to touch her.

She groaned at the sensation. The heat from his fingers was so intense that she could have came right there. He'd found the bundle of nerves without even trying to reach it.

He raised an eyebrow, his smirk only growing. "Interesting," he said quietly with a chuckle.

"Oh, shut up," she breathed.

He moved his thumb in a circle and earned another groan. Oh, so he'd found it that easily. That hadn't taken a whole lot of effort.

He moved to kiss her hand, and she gasped at the heat from his lips. It was the same. The same as that dream.

He licked her wrist and she almost screamed the moan was so loud. He grinned against her skin, moving his thumb away from her clit and going to explore her body again. He pulled her against him, his lips traveling from her wrists to her left shoulder, where it rested for a moment.

He should wait before he marked her. He should wait for just a few more moments.

He nibbled on her ear, sending her nerves to inferno. His hands went back to her breasts.

"Tell me you want it," he growled. "Tell me."

"I want it," she told him, moving her hips again. Almost a groan from the fire demon. "I want it… please…"

He kissed her. The heat took her breath away, sending her to a whole new place. His hot tongue burned hers, but she didn't care. She would worry about all of that tomorrow. Or the next day. Hell, whenever they stopped.

His fingers dove into her core then, his face moving down to take one of her nipples in his mouth. She cried out in pleasure. His tongue moved in circles around it, before biting and sucking hard on her. His fingers delved deeper, forcing her to move her hips up at the sensation. Out again, about halfway, before curling and going back in. She was ready for him. But he wasn't done having fun yet.

"Hi-Hiei…" she moaned. "Please, Hiei…"

He ignored her and moved to the other breast, his free hand moving down her thigh to spread it further. He managed to fit a third finger in; she was so tight it was unreal. He growled at her muscles flexing about his fingers.

She was so hot that she could have died. She knew she was sweating, and the flames licking her back weren't doing her any good whatsoever.

The fire demon sat up then, looking at the young woman beneath him. Her eyes were pleading.

He smirked again. "You know," he said, "I've never tasted a woman before."

The flush on her cheeks grew darker. She'd never been tasted by a man. She didn't know what to do.

The heat of his hands on her thighs were too much. He moved them up and spread them, presenting the woman to him fully. She was so wet that he wondered how much she really did like the feel of him.

The heat was a pleasure and a pain, but she didn't care. She had to have it. She wanted it more than anything. Tamara groaned, watching as Hiei moved his head down her stomach, leaving a hot trail of kisses and nibbles in his wake. His thick hair tickled her skin as he moved, his tongue tracing a circle around her belly button as he went down. He grinned when he noticed that she was shaved.

She felt his breath on her sex. She was tempted to close her legs. If the heat in his mouth-

She lost all thought as an instant orgasm hit her, crying out his name on only the second soft lick he gave her. She felt her cum start to run down her thighs. It didn't stop the fire demon from licking her slowly, tasting her nectar. His tongue moved down to her entrance, teasing the small opening there. She squirmed against him, not being able to come down as long as he was there. The orgasm lengthened, making her moan and yell his name and make fists around the flames that held her down.

He flicked his tongue inside for only a moment before moving back up to her clit, wanting her to moan louder for him. She tasted like heaven. He wouldn't be able to get enough any time soon.

He wiped his mouth when he was finished, smirking at her still. He began to pull down his sweats.

"I hope you're ready, Tamara. After that, I'm not sure if you can handle the real thing."

"Don't… underestimate… me…" She could barely breathe. She wasn't sure if she could handle the real thing. Hiei was something unlike anything she'd ever had in her life before. He worked wonders on her body.

He positioned himself, holding onto one of Tamara's knees. His face became serious. He was fighting his instinct to mark her, waiting for just the right moment. The pleasure she'd feel would be too much at this point.

He was surprised to find that her juices were almost as hot as he was, but it felt so good against his skin. He watched the head of his manhood enter her, and felt Tamara's whole body tense up.

He looked up at her then. It was exactly like the wet dream he'd had of her. That they'd had of each other. She had a sheen of sweat over her body, reddish marks on her where he'd bitten or left his hands for too long. There was a hickey on the right side of her neck that almost looked like a burn. There was a trail down her body where his tongue had traveled.

Tamara's eyes almost had a bewildered look about them. Her breath was hitched. She was in ecstasy. She'd never felt anything like this in her life. Not with anyone she'd ever been with before. Well, any_thing_, anyway…

Was this what it felt like to actually have sex with someone on the same level as her? To have sex with an actual person? Not someone who didn't have an actual head, or a monstrous body.

Or someone that was insane, and shouldn't even be alive.

He felt her muscles tighten around him, and he sucked in a breath between his teeth, pushing in farther. She was so hot on the inside. Tight. Wet.

He filled her to the hilt, groaning as he did so. She felt so good. He couldn't even describe what was going on inside his head.

He pulled out about halfway, feeling her constrict around him. He bit his lip.

"Goddamn it," he breathed. She half-smiled, in her own orgasmic daze.

"Fuck me," she said. It was almost like an order.

The flames no longer held her hands down, but they didn't disappear. They seemed to intensify the heat around them. He leaned forward to kiss her, bury his face in the crook of her neck and shoulder, moan with her. Her hands wandered his back, leaving scratches behind them. One hand gripped his hair while the other had his arm. She moaned his name as he thrust in and out, picking up speed gradually as he went.

When he kissed her it was like fire. She grabbed both sides of his face, savoring the taste of him. He was wonderful. Everything about him was wonderful.

He had to slow down for a moment when he felt her orgasm around him, a whole new grip on his member. He growled low in her ear, feeling her pulse with pleasure as her cum soaked him and his sweatpants. He dug his nails into her side again.

She bit his neck, and it set him off. He leaned back to look at her, sitting upright, grabbing her legs and pushing them toward her. He wanted to see her face while he fucked her. See the pleasure he was giving her.

"Hiei!" she cried, gripping the flaming sheets with one hand as the other reached for his. "Don't stop!"

They were both panting, sweating. She was making noises that were music to the fire demon's ears. She arched her body in pleasure, her eyes rolling back into her skull.

He leaned down to her left shoulder and licked it roughly. It was time. He knew he wouldn't have to cut himself for her to mark him; she could bite just as hard.

A second lick and he picked up to full speed. She wrapped both legs and arms around his body, pulling him against her.

By the third lick on her shoulder, burning it with his tongue, he'd lost speed but was fucking her harder than ever before. The bed creaked beneath them, headboard hitting the thin walls of the apartment. They were noisy. The thought almost made Hiei laugh.

He pulled her head to his left shoulder, kissing her ear. "I want you to bite me as hard as you can," he said, a moan in his voice. "Break skin, make me bleed."

"Tell me… when," she replied, gripping his hair tight, free hand moving to his shoulder. He moved his head back to the burn he'd made on her.

"You'll know," he growled, licking for the fourth and final time. He opened his mouth wide and let himself give into demon instinct, sinking his fangs deep into her skin and drawing her blood.

Tamara's world went white as she felt a whole new sensation. It was as if she'd just shot up heroin. Her pupils dilated as she bit down on the fire demon's shoulder, jaws aching as she broke through the skin and felt his demon blood explode in her mouth, a taste that later on she realized she should have never tasted.

Her blood was just as appetizing to him, tasting like the finest wine he'd ever drank. He fed his will into her body, claiming her as his, and him as hers. He could feel the instinct flow through into her, willing the same on him.

He licked away the few droplets of blood that he'd missed, still pounding into her, but he was too close for comfort. He bit down again for good measure, her name fresh on his lips as he did so, releasing his hot seed into her.

The burn was a good one and sent Tamara in a new reel of orgasm, tightening around him for a final time and squeezing all she could from him. It filled her, burning but the pain was so good that she couldn't help but moan his name.

The Darkness Flame disappeared, leaving one of the blankets singed. They didn't care at the moment. He was licking blood from her wound, willing it to stop bleeding, and she was doing the same.

He stayed inside her as he propped himself up on his arms, staring into her eyes. They were mated now. They belonged to each other, and only each other.

"I love you," he breathed as he pulled out of her, falling down to her side and wrapping an arm around her.

She turned on her side to face him, burying her face in his chest. "I love you, too," she replied. "And for the record, as far as I'm concerned that was my first time."

He looked down at her. "Why do you say that?" he asked. Surely he wasn't _that_ good. Well, he knew he was good, but damn.

She shrugged. "Because… I don't know, it was the first time I'd ever… the first time I'd ever felt…"

"Love?" he asked. He knew how she felt. It had been the first time he'd felt love when having sex as well.

"Yeah," she said. "Love."

He kissed the top of her head, taking in her scent. His was all over her, and he was sure that hers was all over him. And it was going to stay that way now. Forever.


	20. Chapter Nineteen: The Demon Bar

**Chapter Nineteen: The Demon Bar.**

**A/N: This is also a chapter that contains mature content. Skip if you don't want to know the dirty details!**

* * *

Tamara woke up to the sunlight blinding her. She groaned; Hiei must have forgotten to close the curtain when he left. She stretched in bed before yanking the covers back, letting the cool air refresh her skin.

"God, it's shower time," she mumbled, sitting up and scratching her shoulder, which was itching quite badly. And then it hurt to scratch. She craned her head and noticed the bite marks then, hardly even healed. "Oh, yeah."

She stood. Hiei wasn't in the apartment, she could tell that much. She looked at her alarm clock (that now had no alarm because Hiei insisted it stay turned off). It was 10 A.M. Where the hell was he at this time? Surely Yusuke couldn't have gotten another case so early. And that was the only reason she could think of Hiei leaving so early.

She went into the bathroom to find her bath already ran, candles lit and red rose petals in the still-steaming water. Huh. That was unlike him. He wasn't that kind of guy… then again, he did have a soft spot. He just showed in bursts.

She didn't mind, though. She got in slowly, letting the heat take over. God, this was nice. She'd never taken a candle-lit bath before. And the rose petals were real, leaving everything smelling like roses as well.

She observed herself in the dim light. She had faint burns on her wrists, going all the way around. There were tiny burns on her stomach as well, and her neck felt bruised. She was pretty sure that those were scratches on her sides, too. Man, that really had been wild.

Just thinking about it made her want to do it again.

She sighed. Another night like that, and she'd probably break. But she really didn't care. It had felt too good to just pass up.

She took her sweet time in the rosy water, washing her hair thoroughly and bathing around her wounds. She took special care around her new mark on her shoulder; that was still tender.

She emerged with a towel wrapped around her and another around her hair. She wished she didn't have to work tonight; she wanted to try a few things out with her new mate.

"Mate," she said aloud. "That's a funny way to put it…"

She was only human. She had a different way of making someone theirs for the rest of their lives. And that usually involved a ring, poofy dress, and a big ceremony. At least, that's what she'd always wanted her wedding to be like. Hell, maybe one day she could convince Hiei to do something similar for her. But not right now. That would be too expensive.

She walked into the living room to find a bouquet of red roses on the couch. Again, interesting. But nothing she was worried about. She'd ask him about it later.

Coffee was already made, she noticed, and a cup had been drank. So he stayed for coffee. Just how much earlier did he wake up than her?

She poured herself a mug, putting a shot of her brandy in it. No, she didn't like brandy, but it was all she had for now. It was still too early for wine. She added her cream and sugar and took her place on the couch, picking up her book from the coffee table. Maybe she could get some morning reading done before she had to get ready to leave. That sounded like production if she knew the meaning of it.

* * *

She had just taken her hair out of the towel when Hiei came into the apartment. He smirked at her, holding up a large plastic bag. She could smell food. "I went to that café you liked uptown," he said. "I figured you'd want breakfast."

"Hell yeah I do," she replied, closing her book and getting up. "Just lemme get some clothes on and I'll get a couple of plates out."

His smirk grew and he sat the bag down on the coffee table. "You don't have to get dressed yet," he told her. "It's still pretty hot. I moved fast so we could play around when I got back."

She felt a blush creep across her cheeks and nose, but ignored it. "Sometimes I think you can read my mind, Hiei."

He raised an eyebrow, and then she felt stupid and blushed more. He probably could. He was a telepath, after all.

"I can't read your thoughts, exactly," he said, noticing her darkened cheeks. "I can feel your arousal. I can feel most of your emotions now that we're…"

"Oooh," she said, remembering what she'd thought about in the bathtub. "The roses were a nice touch, but so not your style."

He shrugged, his smirk gone into that almost smile. "I don't know what came over me, I just felt like doing something nice for you."

She came over and kissed him on the cheek. "Well, it was very nice, and I enjoyed it."

He kissed her on the mouth, and she moaned softly. She loved the way he kissed her, grabbing the back of her wet head and holding tight.

"You know, you burned me up last night," she whispered against his lips, a laugh in her voice. "I've got marks all over me."

"Hn." He grinned slightly. "That's nothing compared to what I can do, if you wanna find out."

"Oh, do I."

They ended up making out on the couch, Hiei's hot lips kissing exposed skin as he peeled the towel off of her. She was shivering with anticipation; the things he did were just amazing.

He stopped suddenly, and sat up with wide eyes. She sat up, too. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Your hip," he said. "Look at that."

"What?" She looked down. There was a black mark on her. A thin one, but still. "Thought it looked like a bruise when I was in the tub. What is that?"

He gulped. "Turn over."

"Excuse me?" she asked, turning over on her side. It extended around her. "What the fuck?"

"Please, Tamara, turn around."

She did as she was told, and heard the fire demon's breath hitch. "What!?" she exclaimed. "Is my skin scorched? I swear to god, Hiei, if I'm gonna have a scar I'm going to-"

"Go look in the mirror," he told her. His voice sounded devoid of everything. Was he really that shocked?

She got up, walking to her room. What could be that bad? Her back wasn't hurting at all, so there was no reason for him to be freaking out.

She felt the spot on her hip. Felt like normal skin. It wasn't swollen or anything. She looked in the mirror. It was barely even noticeable.

Then she turned around, and a small scream escaped her lips.

"What the _fuck_, Hiei!?" she growled. "What is this!? How did it get there!?"

He ran in with his demonic speed at the call of his name. his eyes were still wide. "I have no idea," he said. "I only bit you, I didn't have anything to do with that."

"Oh, and what, the Darkness Flame left this all on its own?"

The spot on her hip was the beginning of her new tattoo. The tail of a dragon. A black dragon, that looked like it was made of fire. It made a swirling pattern across her back, its head ending near her scar with its maw open wide, as if it was going to eat the Halo of the Sun itself.

"This is insane," she said. "I mean, I love tattoos, and always wanted one, but I wasn't thinking about something this big being my first one."

Hiei was staring at her back. He didn't know how he'd managed that. He'd had complete control last night. He didn't even understand how it had happened. "Sorry," he said quietly. "Didn't… realize…"

She turned to look at him, her attention refocusing. "Hey, it's cool," she said, a reassuring look in her eyes. "This is pretty neat. Imagine what it'd look like with an open-back shirt… dude, I should do that for work tonight. That'd look awesome…"

She was going on a rant. She didn't want him to freak out, he could tell. But she wasn't lying when she'd said it was alright. She did seem to think it was interesting, to say the least. She could easily hide it the way she hid that scar if she pleased. But where would the fun be in that?

"Do you think Hisao would mind?" she asked him, looking at it again. "I mean, I know it's strange, but the bar is called the _Black_ Dragon. Maybe it would be good for business."

"Don't mention Hisao to me," Hiei growled. "That low-class demon thinks that he can fuck you whenever he pleases to do so…"

"Demon?"

"What, you can't tell?" She must not have realized that she was psychic. That she could see them. She used all of that skill for when she was traveling to the Otherworld in her sleep. "The Black Dragon is an underground demon bar. Yusuke can't wipe the place out, though, because they aren't causing any trouble."

"Are you serious?" she asked. "I've been working with demons for six months and no one's bothered to tell me that?"

"You're a psychic, Tamara, you're supposed to know." He tried not to roll his eyes. "You just haven't had enough practice with it. You have to focus. You can see all the demons that have been trying to court you all this time."

"Yeah, but those guys aren't disguising themselves as humans." She paused for a moment. "What do you really look like, anyway? Do you, like, flame up or something?"

That was an eye-rolling-worthy moment. "No, I don't flame up, I'm not a member of the Fantastic Four." He took her hand. "Some of us can look exactly the same as a human. You can't tell me that you weren't attracted to Hisao when you met him."

She pondered that thought. "Yeah, I recall thinking that he looked good enough to eat," she replied, and then looked toward the window. "But I also was thinking that literally. Not just figuratively."

"Hn." She could hear the amusement in that. "Well, your bar is chocked full of demons. You just haven't tried sensing their demon energy."

"I always sensed demon energy while I was there, or at least what I thought was demon energy," she told him. "I just thought it was you stalking me again."

Hiei's face almost hit the floor. She smirked at him. "You didn't think I had any idea?" she asked. "I could always feel you watching me, Hiei. I could sense you, smell you nearby. It was kind of strange. I guess I just never bothered to learn the differences between yours and another demon's energy. I always figured it was you."

Now it was his turn to blush. "And here I thought you didn't know about that."

"No, sweetie, I just didn't mention it. I didn't mind, really. Made me think that if I ever got into trouble, you could help me out."

He didn't say anything, but Tamara could see the appreciation in his eyes. He thought she'd be mad if she found out. No, she hadn't minded. After two weeks it had become a normal thing to her. She'd gotten used to it.

"Look, anyway, Hisao has been trying to court you. Or, he was until I came along." The satisfied look on Hiei's face was almost too much for Tamara. "He's a lower C class demon, anyway. And despite the fact that you're only a psychic, you do have some demon in you."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm neither of those things," she replied. "I'm just Tamara, supernatural being of the Otherworld. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Hn. If you say so."

She took another look at the tattoo on her back. She wondered why it positioned itself that way, with an open mouth going toward her scar, as if to consume it whole.

"Well, I have all day before work," she said. "What do you want to do?"

He looked her up and down in response. She realized then that she was still naked. Funny how a tattoo had stopped him just a moment ago.

* * *

It was almost one in the afternoon when Tamara finally put on a tee shirt and ate the breakfast Hiei had brought for her. Even cold, it was amazing. She'd always told Hiei that was her favorite café to eat in the morning, she'd just never take the time to go uptown and get them. She just wished she'd have known so that she could have told him to get her a latte.

Hiei was off in his own world, lounging on the couch. That tattoo on her back was almost identical to the one he kept bandaged on his arm. He recalled saying or thinking once that it was his doom to consume everything with the flames of his hate. That he was cursed to live in direct opposition to his breed.

He'd said that during the Demon World Tournament… to Mukuro…

He sighed. Poor Mukuro had loved him. She really had. But border patrol had grown boring. She wasn't really what he'd wanted, and that's why he'd never mated her. She was powerful. She was borderline genius, too. But not what he'd wanted.

The day Yusuke had gotten his job back as Spirit Detective, when that toddler came to rule, Hiei had decided to leave and go bback to the Living World. Those idiots would need him, he'd thought. Mukuro had been heartbroken, giving back his tear gem. It was as if she'd known that when Hiei came back, it wouldn't be for her.

"You're feeling awfully guilty," Tamara said from the kitchen. "Hey, whoever she was, I'm sure she was very lucky to have you while she did."

She could tell _that_ much? She really was a psychic when she wanted to be. If she always focused that hard, she'd be very strong one day. Perhaps even stronger than that idiot Kuwabara.

* * *

The day dragged on. Hiei and Tamara went uptown for a little while, visiting with the fox demon. He was studying, as always, on the use of a new demon plant. He'd been as shocked as Hiei when Tamara showed him the dragon on her back. Hiei said he needed Kurama's help on figuring out exactly how it had happened.

By the time Tamara needed to leave for work, Hiei decided to stay and see her at the apartment in the morning. She kissed him goodbye and headed downtown, stopping only long enough to adjust her violet open-backed shirt, two single black ribbons tied in the middle.

Hiei's the one who had suggested it, as she'd only said it as a joke. His mark on her was halfway visible in this shirt. Tamara personally thought he just wanted to piss off her line of desperate suitors. Especially Hisao, who was getting off at midnight as a server while she worked bartender all night.

The Black Dragon was booming. Even the music was louder than usual. She took her place at the bar, letting Mizu go back into his office. Hisao was training that idiot new girl, Ayame, but stopped talking completely when he noticed Tamara there.

She was pouring shots of sake when he came behind the bar with her. She could feel his eyes travel down her back and up again, eyeing the bite marks on her shoulder carefully.

His demon energy flared, only for a moment, and she felt the difference for the first time. He wasn't near as strong as Hiei was. Hiei had to be at least an A class compared to her coworker.

"Is he beating you?" Hisao asked. "That bite mark looks bad. I can-"

She turned and looked at him. "Hisao, you know exactly what this is." She nodded at a man who asked for a beer. "It's the mark of my mate."

"Mate?" Hisao asked, mocking confusion and raising an eyebrow. "Tamara, that's not-"

As she handed the man his beer, she noticed that he had horns that he had concealed. Hiei had been right about this place. She looked around. They were everywhere. All around her.

"I'm not a normal human, Hisao. I can see you and feel you for what you really are."

She had to pretend like she'd known the whole time. She wasn't sure what was making her senses so heightened. Or maybe it was just the fact that she was actually paying attention.

She could hear the low growl in Hisao's chest. A few people turned their heads, but no one really paid attention.

"His scent doesn't suit you," he said in a low voice. "I'm your friend, Tamara, you know that. I just want to help."

"No, you wanted to court me for my demon energy." She sent him a glare and continued to do her job, taking out pad and pen to get a man some bar food. "Had I known that from the day I got here, I would have shot you down immediately."

"I'll have you fired and evicted, Tamara. Where will you and Loverboy go then?"

She gave the paper to one of the cooks through the window, before turning to step up to the low-class demon before her. "If I so much as get my wage lowered, Hisao, I'll take care of you myself." People were beginning to stare. "You can't have Mizu fire me because you couldn't sleep with me. And if it happens, Mizu will be lucky that he's only gonna have Hiei to deal with." The steel color in Tamara's eyes began to fade. "You, my sweet Hisao, will have to deal with me."

"Tamara!"

Mizu was leaving his office. Tamara snapped out of her trance, looking over Hisao's shoulder. She shrugged when she saw Mizu, and reached into the window to get the plate of chili nachos the man at the bar had ordered.

"Tamara, what's going on here?" Mizu asked. The old man's face was red.

"Are you firing me, Mizu?" she asked in response. Oh, she was going to see just how much power Hisao had here. "Because it has come to my attention that because of my mating with someone else that Hisao is having my fired and then evicted from my home."

Mizu looked from Tamara to Hisao, and then to the some-odd-number of people who were staring at them. He was silent for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Oh, no, Tamara. Hisao is jealous of your boyfriend, that's all!" His face was now red from laughing so hard. "So he failed at courting you! When he gets about my age, he'll know what his type is!"

He clapped a hand on the younger demon's shoulder. "Hisao, get back to training Ayame. Tamara, keep doing what you're doing. Make my money."

Hisao walked away, then, as did Mizu. She smiled, satisfied. She was more than proud to show off her mark and her tattoo for the rest of the night.


	21. Chapter Twenty: Rin Itou

**Chapter Twenty: Rin Itou.**

* * *

Tamara wouldn't be off of work until almost 7 A.M., and it was only 9 P.M. now. Hiei had plenty of time.

He and Kurama were in Spirit World, walking toward Koenma's office. Ogres were coming and going, not really taking notice to the two demons.

"Why are you doing all of this for her, Hiei?" Kurama asked, looking over at his friend. "I know that you love her, but doing this is going a little far."

"I found Mukuro's father, and you're the one who have me the seed of the plant I used to trap him."

"Yes, but Mukuro's father tortured her, raped her."

"Tamara's parents caused her unforgiving pain that they aren't even aware of," the fire demon hissed. "The least I can do is give her the option of finding them."

Kurama sighed. Hiei went out of his way to help people and didn't even realize it. He'd helped Yusuke more than once without even wanting to. But they were scheduled to leave for a case the day after tomorrow. Was he going to travel with his new mate, possibly around the world, to meet her parents?

Koenma was in his teen form, stamping paperwork as he was two years ago when Yusuke had gotten his job back. Seemed old habits died hard, even with a new position of power. He only took a glance at the two.

"How can I help you two?" he asked. "If it's about the case, Yusuke should have the details. A demon has stolen-"

"That isn't why we're here," Kurama said. "We are here regarding a friend of ours."

Koenma stopped then, slowly setting down his stamp. His eyes were serious. "I take it that this is about that Tamara girl, the psychic that transforms into a demon once a week to feed on a single human."

"Yes, that's the one," Kurama said, sweat dropping. He didn't think Tamara was that bad.

"Yes, I've been concerned about her as well. I'd love to meet her. Seems she's got some explaining to do."

"Explaining?" Hiei asked, trying to keep it casual. Maybe Koenma didn't know yet.

"Yes, how she went off of the radar in Spirit and Living World on her thirteenth birthday, and shows up in an entirely different country as a twenty-one year old woman with psychic abilities."

Hiei didn't gulp, but he became a little nervous. That was when she'd disappeared into the Otherworld. She still hadn't been to Spirit World to tell them. Then again, she couldn't come here. Not yet. Not when she didn't want anyone to find out about the Otherworld, Walter, and Silent Hill.

"Not to mention that almost six months after she disappeared, the Wish House Orphanage that she was staying in went off the grid as well, including most of the people who resided there." Koenma sighed. "There's something wrong with that whole area."

"Well, we're not interested in all that." Hiei had to change the subject. He knew too much. "We need to find out who her parents are."

Koenma blinked. "That's what you want? That's in the file I gave Yusuke. Her mother is actually a resident a train ride away from Tamara's city."

_Are you serious?_ Hiei thought. That was a waste of time when he could be off doing something else. Like training. Or figuring out why the Darkness Flame had marked Tamara last night. That sounded much more productive than coming to Spirit World for nothing.

"You know," Koenma began, "I remember a little bit of her mother's file. Her name was Rin. Itou Rin. She was a pretty girl back in her high school years." He snapped his fingers. "Ogre! Go get Miss Itou's file, please."

The ogre nodded and Koenma continued: "The people who raised Tamara were wrong. Rin was full-blooded Japanese, in Tamara's home country on an education visa. It's weird how Tamara looks like she's mixed with a Caucasian, right? That was where she met Tamara's father, who has been dead for about six years now." He tapped his chin with his index finger. "If I'm not mistaken, he's in limbo."

"Limbo?" Kurama asked. "Why on earth would you have sent him there?"

"Simple. Tamara's father and her uncle broke into a house and killed four of the five teenagers living there."

That had both of the demons silent for a little while. No one said anything.

"They're both in Limbo," Koenma finally said to break the silence. "Poor Rin had no idea. She was just having harmless fun with the older one. Her visa was almost over by the time Tamara was born, and she fled to some place called Ashfield, which was almost three days from the hospital Tamara was born in. Left her outside the security office of a subway station and went home."

That stirred something up in Hiei. So her father was dead. But this Rin was still alive and would be able to tell Tamara what she knew, if Tamara was willing to find out.

"Give me her address," Hiei said sternly. "I need to see her."

Koenma raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Crap. Now what was he supposed to do? Unless Koenma already knew that he had mated with Tamara. But there was no way. Spirit World wasn't on Hiei's back anymore. His probation period was over in Living World.

"Tamara has recently become Hiei's mate," Kurama said with a grin.

Hiei glared at the fox. _Way to put my business out there, fox. I'll get you later for this._

Koenma opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again in silence. He stared at Hiei. The fire demon didn't have to attempt to read his thoughts to know what Koenma was thinking. Ugh. And here come the jokes…

Koenma nodded, closing his eyes. "Right. Well as soon as Ogre gets back with Rin's file, you may go speak to her as you please. But remember that Tamara is going to have to find out what you're doing."

"I'm going to inform her when she gets off work, actually."

The overgrown toddler nodded again. "Good. Well, boys, I have things I have to do. So if you'll be so kind, get business done. And good luck on the case."

The two nodded. The ogre nervously handed Hiei the file, not making eye contact. Hiei smirked. Seems he had a reputation in Spirit World as well. Ah, being feared had its ups and downs. Mostly ups, though. He managed to get a lot of things done at once.

* * *

It was midnight when he found the house where Rin Itsou lived. He didn't care if they would be sleeping or not. But the lights were on. That meant that someone had to be awake.

The house was simple. One story and nothing big. Flower beds in the front yard, and Hiei could smell a dog in the back. Normal house for normal people.

Too bad that the daughter of the woman living here was everything except normal. He knocked on the door only twice. He stood there, with his hands in his pockets. He could hear someone inside, see someone look out the window from his peripheral vision. They were going to have a weapon to try to fight Hiei off if he was any trouble.

"Hn." It was almost a laugh.

A man came to the door, and his eyes widened slightly. He was more than a head taller than Hiei was, but had a too-nice look about him. His hair was slightly grey. "Can I help you, young man?" he asked. He kept one hand behind the door. The one holding the golf club.

"Yes, I'm looking for a woman named Rin. Itou Rin." His face stayed serious. He'd try not to kill this man, but he wasn't going to make any promises.

"Rin? Why, what could you want with her?" the man asked. He looked worried. One so young wouldn't want anything to do with his wife, surely.

"It will only take a moment, I assure you." Hiei was getting tired of this. "I have no intention of causing her any harm. I simply have a question I thought better to ask in person instead of on a phone." That and Hiei hated human technology.

The man nodded, then closed the door. He could hear the golf club hit the wall as the man set it aside. Hiei smirked. Fear. Worked every time.

A woman came to the door next. She had grey eyes, like Tamara, and mousy brown hair that went down her back. Her hair wasn't near as grey as her husband's, but Hiei could tell that the woman was middle-aged.

"Can I help you, sir?" she asked. "Nothing's happened to Mikoto, has it?"

"Mikoto?" Hiei asked. Ah. Now he was getting somewhere.

"Yes, my son, is he alright?"

Strange name for a boy. "I don't know your son, Miss Itou," he replied. "I'm here about your oldest daughter. She's over twenty."

The woman's eyes widened, and then darted to the side. "Why, my daughter is in bed. You must have me mistaken for someone else."

"No, I have good sources." He looked over the woman's shoulder. Her husband was standing there. "Care to step outside for a moment? It won't take long."

She did as Hiei asked, her hands shaking. She was short, too. Taller than Hiei, but she was short nonetheless.

"Sweetie, my daughter is only twelve years old, I don't know what you're talking about." She was still trying to be polite, hoping Hiei would go away. No, he was too frustrated for that. If it wasn't for his better sense, the woman would be on her way to the apartment now.

"No, ma'am, you do have an older daughter. Her father and his brother killed four people after you came back from school."

The woman cringed. Oh, this was her. Tamara's mother. She had that same dark look in her eyes when she got angry or upset.

"How do you know about her?" the woman snapped. "I left her behind a long time ago."

"I know everything that you did, Rin." Hiei glared at her. "Your daughter's name is Tamara. She's merely a train ride away."

The woman looked like she was going into shock. "Who the hell are you?"

Hiei smirked again. "I'm no one. I just wanted to let you know that she might be coming to visit you. Without me, of course, I have other things to attend to, and she is twenty-two now, perfectly capable of taking care of herself." His eyes shot to the street for a moment. "Which she's been having to do ever since you left her at a subway security office in Ashfield."

"Shut up! Do you know how dishonorable it would have been for me to bring her home with me?" She was in Hiei's face. Brave woman, this one. "I wouldn't have had time for her! I had to go to work!"

"Why would it have been dishonorable? Because she was different?" Hiei backed away before he lost control. Fighting a woman was something that he had no problem doing, even if it was some weak human. "I was abandoned simply because I was born a boy. Tamara was abandoned because you weren't married? Because her father had dark skin? You're just as cold-hearted as the witches who made my mother abandon me."

She had tears in her eyes. Hiei didn't care. He tossed a piece of folded paper toward her, and began to walk away, hands still in his pockets.

"You're not even worth telling her about, Rin. But I'll do it simply because she's always wondered what you sounded like, looked like, hell, _felt_ like. That's her phone number. I hope you can give her a call before I get to her."

No, she reminded him too much of the women from the glacial village he'd been born in. Casting out a newborn because they were different from the rest. Tamara and Hiei both deserved better than that. It didn't matter what they had to do.

Hiei should have burned her to death. Mortal Flame would have sufficed just fine. But Tamara was capable of that all on her own. She didn't need Hiei to do anything except push her toward her goals, as she'd never accomplish them on her own.

It's not that Tamara was lazy. She just didn't want the world to become too real. The Otherworld did that to people, he supposed.

* * *

Rin couldn't believe what that young man had said. How dare he show up late at night and spring her with such news? That part of her life was behind her.

But she still picked up the piece of paper, unfolding it to look at the phone number. Was this really her daughter's phone number? How on earth did she get to this country? Hadn't she been adopted eventually?

Then again, how would Rin know? She didn't even have the decency to name her daughter when she'd left her lying there on the dirty concrete that night. She'd just wanted to get on the plane home as quick as she could. Her parents still to this day had no idea that Rin had been pregnant in the first place. She'd managed to keep it a secret from her whole family, even her husband and her son, who was now in high school himself.

What was she going to do now? Should she call or just wait for her to come here? What would she say to her daughter? What would her daughter say to her?

She couldn't picture her face, but she knew it would be in tears. Angry tears. Asking why she'd been left, who her father was and why he was gone, telling stories of how she coped with being an orphan. Rin wasn't sure if she could handle that.

She wondered if her hair grew out black, like her father's, or brown like hers. She wondered whose eyes she'd gotten. She wondered if the girl was cocky and a smartass. Wondered if she was the type to hold a grudge to those who'd wronged her.

She went inside, looking at her husband with sad eyes.

"What did he want?" he asked. "Surely nothing is wrong with your mother or Mikoto."

"No, neither of those things." She took a deep breath. She was going to have to tell him now. "I had a daughter twenty-two years ago, in the west. It seems she's found her way here, and wants to meet me."

Her husband didn't know what to say, she could tell. He wasn't going to be violent, he wasn't that kind of person. "You have a daughter?" he said after a few minutes. "And I know you don't mean our daughter. Mari is asleep."

She nodded. Yes, the twelve year old she'd given birth to was in her bed, not a care in the world. "I had her while I was in college overseas. I left her there, without anything. Not even my name or one for herself." Tears sprang in her eyes. "I'm sorry I never told you. I just didn't want you to think I'm a horrible person…"

She began to cry, and the slightly older man hugged her tight. They stood there for a few minutes, her sobs echoing in the house.

"Invite her to dinner," he whispered. "Let's go to bed. You can call her tomorrow."

"No, I'm going to call her now," she said, pulling away and headed for the phone in the living room. "I've gone twenty-two years without knowing my child's voice."

She punched in the number wrong three times before she got it right. She was nervous. She really didn't know what to say.

It went to voicemail. _Hey, you've reached Tamara and Hiei. We're prolly working right now, so leave a number so we can get back to you. Say bye, Hiei._

She heard her daughter laugh and a male's "Hn" on the other end. Had that boy been Hiei? Was that her boyfriend?

She heard the beep after she heard Tamara say she was just joking with him and not to walk away from her. She went blank. She started to cry again. What on earth did she say to a child she hadn't seen in twenty-two years?

"Hello, Tamara." She sniffled. The words hadn't been loud, but she knew it was audible. She made it up as she went along, her husband sitting by and holding her hand.

* * *

Alessa smiled. She was wondering when that boy would hurry up and find Rin. Tamara had every right to know who her mother was.

And to know that she wasn't a monster, as Alessa's had been.

Her bogeyman came into Nowhere, his large knife dragging behind him. He almost seemed to sigh.

_So he found her?_ he asked. _Took him only six months._

"Relax, my dear. They haven't been dating that long."

_They're now officially mated, as of about three days ago, and he's done nothing but good. I just think he should have done it sooner._

"And why is that?"

_Because it was obvious from day one who he was._

Yes, that was true. And Hiei had probably known that as well. Her eyes rolled back as she saw the future again. A future made, destroyed, and then made whole again by her own hands. Yes. The next six months were going to be wonderful for her. Quite amusing, heart-wrenching, and even sweet.


	22. Chapter Twenty One: Mother

**Chapter Twenty-One: Mother.**

* * *

Tamara got off of work at seven, her head hurting and bags under her eyes. Her eyeliner was smeared slightly, mainly from tearing up when she yawned. She was just ready to have some coffee and take a bath.

Hiei was "hibernating" on the couch, snoring almost as bad as she usually did. She smiled at him and ruffled his thick hair, but it didn't wake him. She sighed and went into the kitchen, hoping there was some hot coffee waiting on her.

Of course there was. It was fresh, too. Damn, he was good. She poured herself a mug full, not bothering to spike it with liquor. That would just make her more tired.

She glanced at the phone. There was a message. She looked back toward the living room. Why hadn't Hiei checked it before he went to sleep?

She clicked the button and chucked at her gay voice message. Hiei had been particularly grumpy that day, as she'd been walking in heels to make fun of his height.

There was silence on the message for some time. She thought maybe the person had had the wrong number before she'd heard a woman crying. That clicked a gear in her head. Who was calling her crying? Was the Otherworld back to fuck with her mind in reality?

"Hello, Tamara," said a sniffling woman. She froze. "My name is Rin… Itou… Rin…" She started crying again. Tamara raised an eyebrow, leaning against the counter to have a listen. "I'm… I'm your… your mother…"

Her eyes widened as she heard the woman cry more. Her mother? Her mother's name was Rin? But that was a Japanese name… she thought her mother was white.

"I'm sorry to spring this on you, but… but my husband-your stepfather-would like you to join us for dinner some time. Soon. You can bring whoever you like… You have two younger siblings that I'm sure would love to meet you, you know. I myself… would love to know where you've been…" She broke off into a sob.

_In an alley preying on innocent human beings thanks to an otherworldly curse, you bitch_, Tamara thought, and then shook her head. She'd never met the woman and already hated her, and she knew that wasn't right. She shouldn't judge people.

A deep intake of breath. Small supporting words from who Tamara was sure was Rin's husband. "I… I would love to meet you, Tamara. Please call me back as soon as you can and we can arrange dinner. Just tell me what you like and I can make it. I… I hope… I hope to hear from you soon. Please call… please…"

More crying, before she hung up. Tamara strode back into the living room and looked down at the sleeping fire demon. There was a manilla folder on the coffee table. She opened it to find every detail of Rin Itou's life. Where she worked, how many kids she had…

She looked at this for a moment. Her file said she'd had three children, one listed simply as "Tamara," a female born on October seventeenth. How did Hiei get this?

She shook him awake, holding the file in his face. "Hey," she said loudly, "did you have something to do with this, Hiei?"

He opened one eye. He looked so innocent. "Depends," he yawned. "Are you mad?"

She rolled her eyes. "Furious," she said sarcastically.

His eye closed. "Nope."

She groaned in frustration, and proceeded to straddle him. "Hiei, wake up. We need to talk."

That one eye thing again. "You're wanting to do that this early? That's unusual."

"I'm going to pour this hot coffee on you," she growled, going to reach for her coffee mug. "Now, wake-"

She was on bottom somehow, the fire demon between her legs. He smirked down at her. "I win," he said. "Now, I take it that voicemail was from your mother."

She sat up, almost laughing at how he stretched back to avoid being head butted. "Yes, yes it was and she was inviting me to dinner."

"Then go," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Did you contact my mother?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Actually, I went to her house."

Her jaw dropped. "She looks a lot like you," he continued. "She denied having you for a minute, but I'm not an idiot. I went to Spirit World to find out who she was."

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Hiei… it was a sweet gesture, but I wish you hadn't done that." She looked him in the face. "I was going to find my mother on my own someday."

"Hey, looks like she found you."

She got up off the couch, picking up her coffee cup. "I'm going to take a bath. I'll call her back when I get out."

"Hey, don't be mad at me. I only did what I thought was right."

She turned around and looked at him. "My mother killed herself before I could confront her," he said. "I got the chance to meet the woman who threw me off the cliff, but not my mother. And there's only one chance to do that; you only have one mom, Tamara."

She sighed. "I'm not mad at you, Hiei." She really wasn't. "I guess I'm just shocked that after twenty-two years I get to know what my mom sounds like, after hearing absolutely nothing." She walked toward the bathroom. "Thank you, Hiei. I love you."

"Hn. Love you too."

She rolled her eyes again as she turned on the water. "Hn" could mean a variety of things. This time it meant "you're welcome."

"Oh, by the way, Hisao _loved_ your mark," she said. "Stared at it all night long."

She could hear his laughter. Oh, he loved this. A little too much, maybe.

* * *

Tamara towel-dried her hair, her face darkened with a blush. Her water had been way too hot, but it felt good on her aching legs. Standing up all night had sucked. Her makeup was running terribly, so she took it off. She'd cried in the tub, for a good hour.

Hearing Rin's voice had changed everything she was feeling. Tamara wasn't sure what to do or to say if she ever met her.

"Don't be nervous," Hiei called from the kitchen. He was eating something. "You'll be fine. I'll stay for the conversation, if you like."

"Yeah, you say I'll be fine," she called back, shaking her head from side to side and watching her hair poof. "There's no telling what I'll say."

"Say what you feel."

"That might not be a good idea, Hiei."

She could feel him roll his eyes. "I'll just keep you in check, then." She heard him coming through to the bedroom.

"Oh, you're not getting laid for a good week."

"We haven't been sleeping together but for two days."

"Yes, and you get no more until this time next week."

He leaned against the door frame, smirking. "Do you think that you can wait that long?"

She sent him a mock-glare. "I can handle anything."

"Hn. Why does that sound familiar?" He walked over and kissed her softly.

"Because I hear it all the time, from the best."

* * *

She was in a towel when she decided to call her mother. Yeah, the week thing hadn't worked out the way she wanted to. Of course not. It was too early to be cut off from sex anyway. Especially when she was having that much fun…

Okay, she had to focus. She pushed redial on the phone, taking a deep breath. Hiei joined her, putting his shirt back on and kissing her jaw. She listened to the _ring, ring_ of the phone for what felt like an hour, trying to swallow the lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat.

"Hello?"

It wasn't the same voice. This one was younger. "Yes… uhh…" she hesitated. "Is… Is Rin there?"

"Yeah, one second." She heard the young girl call "Mom!" as she set the phone down. Okay, so that had been her little sister. That was cool. No biggie.

"Yes?" The voice on the other end sounded different; she wasn't sad.

"Hey, Rin," Tamara replied, trying to stay calm. "My name is Tamara… I… I got your call this morning when I got off work…"

"Oh, Tamara, hello," the woman said. "I'm sorry if my message was a little… a little hectic…" Was she going to cry again?

"Hey, don't get upset," Tamara said quickly. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry my _wonderful_ boyfriend came to your house in the middle of the night without my knowledge."

"That was… your boyfriend?" She sounded shocked.

"You're not the first one to react that way," Tamara said, almost with a laugh. "His intentions were good, he's just a bit… a bit hard to get to come around in a nice way…"

Oh, now she was getting upset. What the hell was this? She was just talking about _Hiei_, for god's sake!

"I'm sure he's wonderful," the woman on the line said. "Now… Well, about my message… are you going to join us for dinner?"

Tamara hesitated and looked at Hiei, who was looking at her with an apparent look of boredom. He nodded to her; she needed to take this opportunity.

"I mean, I understand if you don't," she began. "It doesn't bother me, it was… it's just that…"

"Hey, Rin, I'd love to," Tamara interrupted. "I want to meet you. There's so many questions I have to ask you."

The woman was silent. "Yes, I have many questions for you, too," she replied. "What day is good for you? Tonight?"

"Oh, tonight isn't good," Tamara said. "I… I have to work nights again. I can try to make it tomorrow, though. I should be off work."

"Wonderful… anything special you'd like?" She almost sounded like a mom. "Is your… your boyfriend coming?"

She looked to Hiei. He shook his head. Oh, right, the case. "No, he's got to go out of town for… for work." She hadn't met the woman and she'd already lied twice. "Anything is good to me, Rin. I'm sure it'll be wonderful."

"All right, Tamara. I'm sure you're excited to meet your family."

Tamara had to keep from snorting. Her family was in the Otherworld. "Yeah, sounds nice."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"See you tomorrow."

She put the phone in its cradle, then looked to Hiei with tears in her eyes. He pulled her into a warm embrace, kissing her forehead.

"I suppose you'll want to meet your father next, right?" he asked quietly.

"Where is he?"

"Limbo. But you can reach him from Spirit World."

She pulled away from him. "Limbo? Isn't that where people go when they… they…"

"Yeah. Your father has been dead for awhile. But he deserved it."

She shook her head. "Why?"

"You'll know if you ever want to meet him."

She nodded. She'd worry about the dead later. She needed to worry about the task at hand.

* * *

The day dragged by. Hiei eventually left for Yusuke's, having a case to leave for early in the morning. He'd kissed her goodbye and wished her luck, telling her that he'd be back as soon as the idiots sorted everything out.

He'd also given her a gift before he left. It was one of the tear gems he wore around his neck, keeping them under his cloak and out of sight. He put it on her neck as he kissed her, telling her that it was from his mother. Well, she'd already known that, but she let him say it without interruption, smiling softly at him.

She waited until sunset before she took her clothes off again, watching the sun go down while she smoked a cigarette. She had to feed tonight, and she knew her prey before she'd transformed. It was time for something new. Something she'd been craving for a few days.

* * *

Poor, unfortunate soul.

He hadn't had a chance, being taken off guard. But he tasted good. He tasted amazing. She wasn't exaggerating her meal to fuck with anyone, but because it tasted just that good.

One of her demon suitors. She hadn't even bothered to learn his name. She'd just invited him to bed her, and when he so boldly grabbed her, she'd taken her chance. She didn't kill him, though. Oh, no, she left him alive, to feel the blood flow into her mouth in pulses.

God, the sensations her body felt were almost as good as sex. But it wasn't sex, she knew. She only did that with one person now.

She reached for the demon's still-beating heart. Well, it only beat once. But that was normal for demons. She didn't have a heartbeat when she was like this. And she'd only heard Hiei's beat twice since she'd started sharing a bed with him. It was strange, how demons worked.

"I hope you enjoy hell as much as I do," she purred, looking into his almost-dead eyes. They were full of fear. Confusion. Hurt. "I can't imagine what it's like to taste this good, but you should feel lucky."

She took a bite. God, the way his blood exploded in her mouth was ecstatic. She could have moaned from it.

She didn't even have to dispose of the evidence. What she didn't eat dissolved away.

Tamara looked up and realized that the sun would be up in thirty minutes. Shit. She'd enjoyed that way too much.

She twitched her way back up to her apartment, scaling the wall. And to think that there was conveniently a demon downstairs for her to snack on.

Tamara made her way to the bathroom, staring with blank eyes into the dark mirror. None of the lights were on.

"What would you think if you knew this was your child, mother?" she asked, head twitching to the side. "Would you still want to meet me, then? Knowing I could swallow your precious children whole? Knowing that I can kill to survive, without even asking for redemption?"

Asking for redemption wasn't her style anymore. She no longer felt remorse for what she did. She'd just accepted it, as Alessa had when she'd let Walter turn her into… this thing. She didn't see the point in asking her forgiveness when she knew she already had it.

"She should be careful not to piss me off," Tamara laughed. "I might just eat her and her whole family for dinner."

It was strange how much she changed when she was like this. How much more sadistic she was. But she was also much more intelligent. She understood things she didn't normally. She understood why Hiei helped her so much. She understood why Walter had raped her. Why her mother had abandoned her.

But she wouldn't think much about these weird thoughts. She tried not to think about anything but feeding when she was in her demon form. And killing Walter. But that was just a hobby.

When the sun rose, she watched herself in the mirror, slowly transforming back into the Tamara everyone knew and loved. She was stronger today. She wasn't sleepy or craving a nap. She felt confident.

She was ready to meet her mother.


	23. Chapter Twenty Two: Dinner with Rin

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Dinner with Rin.**

* * *

Tamara spent the whole morning trying to decide what to wear, and couldn't find anything at all. She ended up going shopping after tearing her closet apart, trying on clothes desperately. She didn't want to wear anything too low-cut, or anything that showed her tattoo or mark… Ugh, nothing that was Tamara's fashion was going to work.

She went back to her apartment with nothing, head hanging in failure. What could she wear? None of her usual casual clothes were appropriate. At least, not for introducing herself to the woman who'd given birth to her.

She dug through her closet one more time, almost praying she could find something both appropriate and warm. The winters here were much too cold for Tamara. she usually wore leggings with most of her skirts now.

_Skirts_… she thought, and stood upright. Skirts. No shirt is dressy enough, or are too low-cut if they were too formal… but…

"Ah-ha!" she said aloud, and started tossing more clothes aside, making a mental note to clean out her messy closet later. She shouldn't have spent that whole check on clothes that one week. This was hell on her OCD.

She finally pulled the dress out, laughing aloud in triumph. She'd bought this in the first of fall and forgot about it after only wearing it once.

The dress was long-sleeved and a pretty chocolate color, made of warm material. It was much darker than her skin tone, but it would work. She had some darker brown leggings and even brown heels to match. Her overcoat was black, but they would have to deal with that.

Hair fixed-well, as fixed as it could be-and makeup done already, she quickly changed clothes and went into the kitchen. She had a travel mug for her coffee, one that came with a sleeve and everything.

There was another message on the machine. She pressed the button, again chuckling at her message.

She heard laughter on the other end, recognizing it as Yusuke. It got more hysterical, and then Kuwabara joined in. she looked at the time. It was from last night, after she'd transformed and left.

"Sorry, Tamara, sorry," Yusuke said through his laughter. "Kurama made a joke about your boyfriend being antisocial and mentioned this as proof. We just… we had to hear it for ourselves…" More hysterical laughter. Tamara rolled her eyes and pressed the "save" button, deciding that she would listen to the rest of it later. She finished up her coffee, adding in two shots of brandy this time. She was going to need it for this trip.

* * *

On the train, Tamara looked over Rin's file. Her maiden name had been Itou, and she'd kept it even after marriage. She was an editor at her city's newspaper. Three kids, two girls and a boy named Mikoto.

_Huh_, Tamara thought. _I met a _girl_ named Mikoto once…_

Tamara shook her head, laughing slightly. Maybe this would be more interesting than she thought it would be.

She stared out the window for the rest of the trip, feeling like time was dragging on. She smoked a few cigarettes, making sure to spray some perfume after. She didn't want to smell like an ashtray. It was a good thing she'd brought her big pretty purse with her.

Even if it did contain that photo album.

She finished her spiked coffee, also. This was boring. Quite boring. And the nervousness was starting to set in. She wanted to get this over with.

* * *

Rin's house was simple but of a decent size. She could hear a child laughing and a dog playfully barking out back. There were colorful flowers planted in the yard and windowsill planters. Very western, really. Rin must've enjoyed the west for more than its black men.

She hesitated before she stepped onto the walk. She tried to stomach her nervousness, and it wasn't working. It was still gut-churning to know her mother was in this house.

It wasn't evening yet. Maybe Tamara should turn and go back now while she still had the chance.

She stopped mid-step as the door opened, and a middle-aged woman stepped out. Nope, too late to turn around. There she was.

Her brown hair had very little silver of age in it, and her eyes were the same strange color of steel that Tamara saw in the mirror every day. Even from ten feet away, Tamara could see that in heels she was right at her mother's height. So that's where Tamara's shortness had come from.

Tamara could also tell that they had similar face shapes, even though Tamara had a different nose and fuller lips. And her hair was only wavy, not curly.

_And the skin_, Tamara noted. _Let's not forget the skin_.

They both were frozen in place, staring at each other. Rin looked shocked. Tamara wasn't sure what she looked like, but she saw her vision blur. She was tearing up. And those watery eyes made tears. Tamara let out a sob, her hand flying to her mouth.

This was Tamara's_ mom_. Her _real_ mom. The woman who'd given birth to her was standing right in front of her right now. In the flesh.

"Tamara?" the woman asked.

Oh, god. That was her real voice. The voice of a mother, for sure.

The voice of someone who'd been carrying guilt for some time.

Her mother broke out in a jog, then, dropping whatever she had in her hand, and came towards her. Tamara still wasn't sure to do. Her foot had touched ground, but now she was frozen. She didn't know what to do. What to say. How to feel.

The woman wrapped her arms around her neck, then, grabbing her in an embrace tighter than anything she'd ever felt. She was crying, too, but Tamara wasn't sure why. She just knew that she was hugging the woman back as tight as she could. Crying louder than she had in a very long time.

This was what it was like to get a hug from your mother, she realized. She was hugging her mom. She couldn't be happier, even if it was only for this minute. This was the best moment of her life. The best.

And it was all thanks to a little fire demon.

She would have laughed if she wasn't in such a state. Her mother was holding the back of her head, sobbing. With hurt and grief. Guilt.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I'm so sorry for what I did to you… I didn't think… I wasn't thinking…" She fell to her knees then, clutching Tamara's coat. she was sobbing. Tamara's teary eyes widened, and her breath hitched. "Please, Tamara…" she managed through her tears. "Please forgive me… I didn't do it out of hate… I was being selfish and-"

Tamara got down with her, arms wrapping around the older woman's neck and more tears flowing down her face. "It's okay, Rin." Her purse fell onto the concrete, the contents spilling out slightly. She ignored it. "It's alright. I forgive you… I promise it's okay…"

The woman hugged her back, and they kept crying together. This wasn't how Tamara expected it. She'd expected to be stronger than this. She'd expected to act a little angrier, or just not say much at all. She wasn't expecting for the woman to hold her like a mother holds their child. She wasn't expecting to not be angry at her. She was expecting something else entirely.

She'd been expecting to be angry enough to kill Rin and make it look like an accident.

She looked up and noticed that Rin's real family was staring at them. The son, Mikoto, had black hair like his father. His bangs swooped across his face, but he was all in all a cute kid. Couldn't have been much younger than Yusuke, really. He was tall and thin, and wore a tee shirt and jeans. Tamara could almost see the family resemblance. Mari was different. She was short for a twelve year old, and looked almost identical to the older man smiling at them. Except that she had Rin's hair. Neither of the children had grey eyes.

Tamara began to pull away. "We've got an audience," she said quietly, and went to help the older woman up. Rin turned around, wiping her face, and smiled at her family. A loving smile.

She took Tamara's hand-making Tamara gasp-and led her over. She could feel herself blushing through her tears. She was going to introduce them, but how? _Hey, this is my bastard child I never told you guys about. Hope you love her._ Yeah. Peachy.

"Everyone," Rin began, "this is Tamara. Mikoto, Mari, she's the one I told you about this morning, before you went to school."

"Our sister?" the little girl asked, raising an eyebrow. "But she's so _tan_."

Tamara smiled slightly. Well, it was more of a smirk. And it began.

"Yes, I know, a very pretty tan," Rin replied with a smile. Tamara's eyes widened again. "Her father was dark skinned as well, but she's much lighter than he was."

"Where's her dad?" Mari asked.

They both hesitated. "My father died," Tamara said quietly. Rin looked at her with sad eyes. "I… I never got the chance to meet him, either."

There was a moment of silence, which her husband broke. "Tamara, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," he said. "I'm Kazuhira. Why don't you two come inside and catch up?"

She smiled at him and shook his hand, nodding at him. "Nice to meet you, also." She looked to her mother. God, it felt weird to think that. Her mother. "I guess we should go inside. I'm sure my makeup looks just awful now."

She said this with a laugh, and thankfully Rin laughed as well. She went and cleaned up the contents of her purse from the walkway, making sure none of her photos spilled out.

They led her inside and to the nearest bathroom with a mirror. Her makeup wasn't that bad, but she took the time to touch it up anyway. She walked out and took a brief look into the living room. They were all there. There was an empty place beside Rin, so she took it, placing her purse between her feet.

"So, I have to ask," Rin began, looking straight at Tamara. It was like everyone else disappeared. It was just them now. "What happened to you after I… after I left?"

Tamara looked down at her feet. She didn't know what to say. "Do you want to know the truth?" she asked. The woman might as well know what she had done. The consequences that her mother never had to suffer, but instead passed on to her child.

"Yes, of course." Rin took her daughter's hand. "No matter how bad, I really want to know. I've always been curious, and prayed that someone found you and that you were safe…"

"Yes, I'm sure you were," Tamara said, not realizing the bitterness in her voice. "I know that this is our first time meeting, Rin. I don't want you to think that everything can be fine so quickly. Even though I don't hate you, there's a lot of things that weren't ever explained to me, either. And I have more respect than to tell my tale in front of your kids."

"She's told us the beginning," Mikoto piped. He had a deep voice. How much younger than her was he, anyway? She thought the file said eighteen, but she couldn't quite remember. "She left you in a subway station when she was nineteen, five days after you were born. Then she came home and pretended like it never happened, saying she gained all that weight from being lazy." The smirk he wore was almost like the one Hiei gave her when she was proven wrong. "I think that we can know what happened."

Kazuhira looked at the clock. "Mikoto, Mari, go do something outside. This is an adult talk. Your sister and your mother have a lot of catching up to do before dinner." He stood. "Speaking of which, I'm going to start it now."

The children did as they were told, and Kazuhira walked out. Tamara could feel the boy's presence. He was going to eavesdrop. Or try. Oh, well. Not her fault if the boy had nightmares.

Tamara looked at her feet again, taking a deep breath. She could feel Rin's eyes on her, curious and hurt. She really was sorry. "Why did you leave me behind, mom?" Tamara asked, tearing up again. "You didn't even name me, or leave me with a picture or anything."

She felt the woman immediately choke back a sob. "All I cared about was honor, then, Tamara. I would have been disowned if I'd kept you, even if I had my degree and a good job."

"But you still could have gotten married, and had them." Tamara wiped her eyes. "I was told my whole life that you were too young, or that you didn't want me because of the color of my skin." She looked at her hand, at her caramel skin. "I was an accident, I wasn't supposed to be here."

Her mother's pale hand took hers, and Tamara looked up to face her. Steel eyes met. "Everyone is born for a reason, Tamara. You were not a mistake, even if you were conceived by accident. You're here for a reason."

_To be a monster, eating people to survive?_ Tamara had to mentally shake off the question. "So you think you could have loved me if you'd kept me? Even though I was different, of a different race?"

Rin had tears in her eyes. "Tamara, even though we've only met today, not a day has gone by in twenty two years that I didn't love you."

It was Tamara's turn to choke, then. Her mother had loved her. _Loved her_. She had to quickly compose herself. "I… I was sent to an orphanage after you left." She had to change the subject before she lost it again. "It was called Wish House."

"Wish House?" Rin asked. "I think I did an article on that while I was in school about that place being haunted."

Tamara had to keep herself from smirking. "Yeah, I guess you could say it was." She sat up straight. "The Wish House was run by people in this… this cult. They… they were a very strict sect." Rin's eyes widened slightly. "They… would beat us if we didn't obey. And they forced their religion upon us. Locked us up in small rooms if we rebelled against god."

The woman looked horrified. Good. That's what Tamara wanted. And she could feel the boy's chill bumps. "On my thirteenth birthday, I ran away," she continued. "I didn't make it far. Only to the subway station where you'd abandoned me." She could picture that day now. "I stayed there for what felt like hours, and tried to sneak onto a subway that would take me far down south. I thought it'd take me to you and my father, since they'd told me you were from the south." She had to wipe her eyes again. "I didn't make it onto the train, so I stayed the night there at the station. No one came looking for me."

"Tamara, I…"

"Please, Rin, you have to know my story." She didn't mean to interrupt the woman's apologies again. "You asked to know what happened to me."

She nodded, and Tamara continued:

"A man found me. A man in a trench coat, and long blond hair. He had these… these pretty eyes, and they were so full of hurt and anger and heartbreak, like mine were. It was like looking in a mirror, really. He took my hand and told me he knew where I was from, and offered me a home with his family."

She was altering the story. Rin didn't need to know about the Otherworld. Not yet. Tamara didn't know if she was a psychic like her. Didn't know if she could handle the photos in the first half of her album.

"His name was Walter, and he kept me more like a pet than a person. But he took care of me. Made sure I had what I needed, and would take me into town with him and let me play in the arcade and such." Again, a lie. "That didn't last long, though. Walter changed. I'm still not sure what happened." Lie, lie, _lie_. "On my fifteenth birthday… Walter… he…" She began to cry again, but in a different way. "He did things to me… things I couldn't remember right until recently…"

Rin cried with her. She didn't have to say any more. Rin knew what she was getting at. What Walter had done.

"I got away, though, six months ago," Tamara said, reaching into her purse and getting out the scrapbook. "I keep pictures of stuff, see, and I got a disposable camera a week after I got here." That had been true. She did take pictures sometimes, and her friends had pictures of her as well. She enjoyed the whole scrap booking thing now. It was just one of the normal world hobbies she'd picked up quickly.

She opened it up to the last half, labeled "New Life." "You're not going to believe how skinny I was," Tamara said. "I'm telling you, Rin, people thought I had cancer or something."

Rin didn't laugh. She was looking curiously at the first half of that book, which Tamara put her hand over.

"You don't need to see that." Tamara's eyes were serious. "There's things in here that no one needs to see."

Rin only nodded. It was apparent that she was scared of everything her daughter had really been through.

"Anyway, check this out," Tamara said quickly, and turned the page. It was a picture of her from when she'd gotten there, rose in her hair and pencil thin. Unhealthy. Rin gasped. There were pictures of the group, too.

She spent thirty minutes talking about the photos with Rin, making her laugh as well as gasp in shock. There was a picture of them all, a picture of Tamara and Kurama's mom at the party, a picture of Tamara at the bar, and even pictures of them all playing videogames.

Pictures of Yusuke and Kuwabara using up her film because they were stupid, pictures of that one hilarious face Kurama made (yes, she managed a picture of that… and she and Rin both laughed hysterically). Pictures of Hiei and Tamara glaring at each other in a heated argument.

And then there was a picture of her apartment above the bar. A picture of her at work, talking to Hisao about something that must have been important, but Tamara couldn't place it. And she didn't care to.

A picture of her and Hiei in bed, just waking up. Well, that was one of the few mornings that she'd woke up before the fire demon.

"He seems peaceful when he sleeps," Rin commented.

Tamara laughed. "Trust me, that's the only time he's anything close to peaceful."

"Really?" she asked. "You shouldn't date anyone violent."

The mark on her shoulder ached slightly. "It's not that he's violent… he's just always got stuff on his mind, you know. Work and all that. He's very busy all the time."

Rin nodded, believing the lie. But Tamara still wasn't sure.

Another picture of her and Hiei, caught off-guard holding hands. Tamara wasn't sure now who'd taken that picture to begin with, but she shrugged it off. Hiei's eyes looked different, the closest thing to happy he could muster. He was smirking as usual.

And then a picture of Tamara snoring, a little bit of drool coming out of her open mouth. She snapped the scrapbook shut, sweat dropping and laughing.

Rin laughed again. "I'm not sure how that got there," Tamara said. "I guess Hiei or someone in the group has a sense of humor."

Rin got up. "Here, I have something I want you to have."

"Something for me?" she asked.

"Yes, just let me go find it."

She went off into the hallway, and Tamara heard a door open and then close again. Tamara took the time to look around the room. Family pictures and baby pictures. A wedding photo. Photos of grandparents and paintings. Tamara made a face. Yeah, these kids had it made. A family and everything.

"Hey."

She turned to the other side of the room to see Mikoto standing there, tears visible in his eyes. But his face wasn't swollen from crying. "Hey, man," she said back, smiling slightly.

He sat beside her on the couch, looking her dead in the face. Curiosity? She couldn't tell. "Are you really my sister?" he asked.

"Can't you tell?"

"I mean, yeah, but… my mom wouldn't let her kids go through that…"

"How old are you, Mikoto?"

He hesitated. "I'm eighteen."

Ah. That's how old he was. "Eighteen, huh? I'm twenty-two." She looked about the room again, putting her photo album away in her purse. "That's a four-year difference. Your mother was different back then, I'm sure. People can change."

"How did you even get here? How could you escape a man who kept you locked up like a caged animal?"

Tamara stared at him. "Because any caged animal will eventually bite."

He gulped. "Are you running from the law?"

Tamara laughed. "God, every time I say I've manage getting away from him, they ask that." She composed herself again, running a hand through her curls. "No, I'm not on the run. Well, I ran away from him, leaving a note that I needed to get out and see the world. I'm really not sure why I ended up here so conveniently, thinking that my mother was Caucasian instead of Asian."

He looked at her. "Do you hate my mom?"

"What? No way. I don't know her. I forgave her for what she did."

He flipped his bangs back. His eyes were brown but there was something different about them. He was different. Like her. "Do you hate me, or Mari?"

She stopped her thoughts completely. He really asked her that.

She clapped a hand on his shoulder, grinning at him like an idiot. "No way, man. Like it or not, you're my flesh and blood. Which means you're stuck with me. And if you ever need me, I'm a train ride away and I'm sure Rin has my phone number."

He seemed shocked at her answer at first. Did Tamara say something wrong? She'd thought she did, and then he hugged her. Tight. She hugged him back. She was hugging her brother. Her little brother, only four years younger.

Tamara's mother had given her a portrait she'd drawn a month after she'd come back home. It was a picture of the two of them, mother and daughter. She was holding a baby Tamara in her arms, looking down at her. It was weird how sad she looked, Tamara thought. But she guessed that that was the guilt really setting in.

* * *

The rest of the evening went well. Both of her siblings loved her. She'd gotten to play with Mari and the dog, Akina, after dinner. Well, after Tamara's cigarette, anyway. She'd even gotten a lecture on smoking from her mother, how it was the nastiest habit a young woman could have. It was all strange and new, but Tamara enjoyed it. Every minute of it, having a real family.

It was late when she got back on the train, being hugged by her mother and stepfather and both siblings for practically an hour. But Tamara thought it had been a sweet gesture.

The apartment was empty. Hiei still hadn't come back. But that was alright. Alone time was much needed after such a busy day.

She poured her wine and picked up her book before crawling into bed. It was going to be a good six months. And then she would leave for a week and come straight back, no problem.

Life was good, even though her stomach was feeling a little icky. Must've been the food. And she was going to start her cycle tomorrow as well. But hey, wine always made the ick feel better.


	24. Chapter Twenty Three: Injuries

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Injuries.**

* * *

It had been nearly two weeks since Hiei had left the apartment for the case. He'd been able to feel every ounce of her happiness from meeting Rin and her siblings.

Her sixth month was almost over. He tried not to worry about this as he scaled the stairs above the Black Dragon, but he couldn't help it. He didn't know if she'd ever come back when she left, or if she'd want to. But surely she would come back to try and convince Hiei to travel the world with her, or to be in something off the wall like a freak show or a circus.

He winced. He needed to get this wound treated before she thought something was terribly wrong. He'd play it off like it was nothing, and then go heal alone. She didn't need to worry about him.

He was almost to the door when he herd it. A man's laughter. A weird possessiveness took him over, but he tried to ignore it. This wasn't something he needed to worry about. Tamara wasn't going to do that to him.

"Dude, Mikoto, I'm not good at this," he hear4d Tamara say.

Mikoto? "I'm telling you, it's easy when you learn…"

Why was her brother here? Had things really gone that well?

He walked inside. A young black-haired boy was sitting at the table with Tamara, trying to teach her some form of checkers that he didn't even like.

"Oh, hey, Hiei," she said, getting up to hug him. "I was wondering when you'd be back."

"Hn."

She had to keep herself from shivering at the smell of his blood. He was hurting. She looked at him strangely. She would have to feed later tonight, but no one seemed to realize that just yet. Made her wonder if Hiei remembered what day it was.

"Ah, not in a pleasant mood, are we?" She smiled, trying to hide the fact that she knew. She turned to her brother. "Hiei, this is my little brother, Mikoto. Bro, this is the guy who came knocking on your door at midnight to tell Rin I was in town."

The boy nodded, staying in his seat. "Hey, man," he said casually. He couldn't tell, it seemed.

"Hn," Hiei repeated, and then kissed Tamara on her forehead. "I'm going to shower and treat my wounds. Won't take long."

Her eyes widened, feigning surprise. "Wounds?" She realized then the pained look in his crimson gaze. Now, she didn't realize that they required healing. That meant he just had them wrapped up to stop the bleeding. And that meant he was really hurt.

Oh, her fear wasn't helping his pain. "It's nothing huge, just irritable."

The young woman sighed. She knew from experience never to argue with this stubborn bastard. "All right, I'll start lunch."

Hiei walked away, and Tamara walked into the kitchen, her brother's curious gaze on her back.

"Dude, shouldn't he go to a hospital?" he asked. He obviously seemed alarmed.

She shrugged. "If Hiei says that he's fine, he's fine. Nothing I can do at this point except go with it."

* * *

Mikoto didn't leave until the late afternoon. Hiei had taken his food to the bedroom, bandages on his chest that were awfully red. That had scared both of the humans at the table. She got really concerned when he was still in bed after she'd walked Mikoto to the train station. She quickly cleaned up from earlier and hurried to the bedroom.

The chest wound was huge. His face looked strained. Like he was holding back on letting her feel the pain.

Emotions and feelings were less extreme if shared, she knew that. She star4ed at him, wishing he'd let her take some of it.

The gash was healing too slow. She ran back into the kitchen and went to dial Kurama's cell. Surely there would be a demon plant or something he could bring her; human medicine wouldn't do much for him at this point.

At least he answered immediately. "Kurama, help," she said frantically. "Hiei's losing a lot of blood. He's not healing fast enough. I don't know what to do."

"I'll be there as soon as I can, and I'll bring Yukina," he replied. "Just do whatever you can to-"

Tamara didn't hear the rest. She fell to the kitchen floor, writhing in pain. Pain worse than her bullet wound from Walter six months before. It tore through her chest from her brain. She clutched at her shirt and cried out. Was Hiei really in this much pain?

And then it was gone. Just like that. She sat up, only to hear Hiei cursing loudly in the other room. She wiped a stray tear from her face. This couldn't get any better while the fox demon wasn't coming fast enough. She grabbed the phone again. Kurama was still on the line. "Hurry," she said, standing up. She put the phone back in its cradle then, and walked into the bathroom to remove her clothes.

Demon blood made her feel better. Probably healed her, too, and she didn't even know it. So surely Hiei would feel the same thing.

Her eyes went white. She growled in frustration. This was taking too long. She had to transform now. Hiei needed her and only in demon form could she help him.

Luckily she felt the pain again. That always helped. It accelerated the transformation, making her skin pale and melt away even quicker. Her hair burned into nothingness, fingers extending into claws.

She looked at herself. She looked odd without the rose in her skull. The pain was dull now. She twitched her way to the bedroom, looking at Hiei with her blank eyes.

Hiei's heavy breathing and cursing ceased. This was the closest he'd ever been to Tamara in her demon state. What had he done?

"Drink," Tamara said quietly, sitting down on the bed and holding out her arm. Her free hand went to the arm in a jerky motion, long claw carefully tracing a line along her arm. "The artery is here. This will help, promise."

She still sounded like herself. Hiei blinked. Drink from her? How did she know that it would actually help?

That was the only time he'd questioned himself about his actions. He grabbed the woman's arm and sank his fangs deep into her artery, feeling her warm blood pulse into his mouth.

Tamara's now bald head rolled back, inhuman growl escaping her gaping jaws. It felt different to her this time. Not sexual at all, but almost painful. She knew that it hurt when she fed from others. Well, it hurt them anyway, when she was in her demon form. But she had to help him.

And helping she was. Hiei's wound was healing faster, but he'd still need Kurama and Yukina. But he wasn't worried about that. The only thing he could think about was how Tamara's blood tasted. The ecstasy rolling down his throat was almost enough to make him want to have sex with her. He loved it.

His life was flashing before his eyes, but somehow it was different. It went further, into another apartment, one closer to Yusuke and Keiko's place uptown. This one was two bedroom.

There were balloons all over the place, but Hiei couldn't see the colors of them. Everything was in black and white. Tamara was there, too, along with everyone else. They were all laughing and smiling. Even he was smirking. There was a cake, too, but Hiei couldn't make out what was on it.

"Hiei…" Tamara's voice made his vision break, and he remembered what he was doing. Drinking. "… we don't want Yukina to have to heal us both… let go of me…"

Hiei snarled in response, hesitant to release her. But he noticed the streams of blood running down his chin, face and neck. His wound was still wide open, but the pain was gone and it was clotting well. Tamara was holding the headboard with her claws, her face expressionless. But Hiei could feel her pain, her weakness. Her blood was pulsing weakly now; he'd drank too much from her. She needed more help than he did. All he needed now was Yukina's help and some hibernation. Tamara might have to go hunting, and it was in the late afternoon.

He released here, hearing the front door open. Had she really called Yukina?

She fell to the floor beside the bed, and for the first and what Hiei would later swear was the only time, he was too slow to catch her. He threw the comforter over her instead. There was no way in hell anyone else was going to see her naked.

Kurama came in, and his eyes widened at the sight. "Where's Tamara?" he asked.

Yeah, his best friend was not going to see his mate naked. His eyes squeezed shut in pain. He smelled Yukina coming in. "Under the blanket…" he said. "I… I drank from her. Too much, I think."

"What?" The fox sounded astonished.

"She trans-transformed, and I drank her blood so I could heal faster… help her first, goddamn it."

Kurama wrapped the blanket around the young woman and picked her up. Her hair was growing back. That was good. The color was in her eyes again, but they were glazed over. Hiei could hear her blood leaving her and even smell it, even though it was all over him. She was still bleeding.

Her pulse had been like a human's just then. Had she really just transformed her blood so he could be healed? Even if she'd had to physically transform, it had been her voice. The demon hadn't taken over. It had just been her.

Yukina started to heal him, and Kurama carried Tamara into the living room. Hiei licked his red-stained lips. Her blood was still warm on him.

Kurama knelt in front of Tamara, looking her in the eyes. she'd fainted from blood loss. Acting quickly, the fox demon tore off a piece of the comforter and wrapped it around her wrist. She was in pain, he coud tell. But that could have been from Hiei's pain taking its toll on her.

Kurama went into the kitchen, looking for food. She needed to eat now, at least. It was all that could be done. Food and rest.

"Hey," she called. "This is nothing." Her voice was weak. "Three days before I got here, I got shot. Almost hit me in the heart. This is but a flesh wound. I just need a cigarette."

"You won't be getting one soon," Kurama called back, getting some sandwich meat from the fridge. "If you smoke right now, you're going to be sick."

"If you say so." She paused for a moment. "Kurama… did you see me naked?"

"No, why?"

"I recall Hiei thinking that he never wanted anyone else to see me without clothes on," she replied with a weak laugh. "I don't want cheese on that."

Kurama's eyes widened. He set the cheese to the side. How could she have known that? There was no way that she could hear him making a sandwich from the couch in the other room.

"I'm psychic," she called again. "It's kinda cool, how if I focus I know what's going on with everyone. I'm gonna… go to sleep now…"

There was a knock at the door. Great. As if this evening couldn't get any better without two injured demons, and one of them being delirious at that. Kurama growled in frustration, quickly finishing up before placing the sandwich before Tamara on the coffee table.

It was the bartender, Hisao. He'd been the one who'd trained Tamara at the Black Dragon six months earlier.

"Where is she?" He looked quite frustrated. He looked around Kurama's frame. "I felt her demon energy from downstairs."

"Demon energy?" Surely this low-class creature didn't know…

"Dude, I live in the apartment below her. Now, let me in." He pushed past the fox and his eyes widened when he saw Tamara on the couch, curled up in a blanket nibbling on a sandwich.

"I should have told you no mustard, Kurama," she said, voice still tired. "She could sit up, but just barely. "Oh, hey, Hisao. Are you gonna join the bloodbath too?"

Hisao shook his head in disbelief. "He… You let that bastard feed from you?"

She raised an eyebrow, and then winced. Hiei's healing process was almost done, but for now the pain was still present. "Of course I did," she replied. "He got injur4ed and needed my help." She paused. "Oh, and thanks for healing him before he came home, Kurama."

Kurama sweat dropped. "I can assure you that Hiei refused my help, saying that he'd be fine as soon as he came home."

"right," she said, taking another bite. "Now, Hisao. Hiei knows you're here by now, and I'm sure that he's not very happy. You might want to get out while you have the chance."

"he hurt you again," Hisao growled. "I'll be damned if you have to deal with him anymore. First all those burns and bruises. Now he's drinking you dry. I can' t handle him doing that to you."

He made his way toward the bedroom, probably following Hiei's scent. Tamara kept eating, a smir4k on her face. Kurama grabbed the demon's arm.

"I know you're concerned for Tamara, but she chose him as her mate. Not you. She chose to let Hiei feed on her while she was transformed. There's nothing anyone can do."

Hisao pulled away. "I don't care about the courting thing anymore. He's causing her pain and he's going to pay for it."

He went inside, closing he door behind him. Kurama looked to the woman on the couch.

"Bruises and burns?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

The sandwich was gone. Tamara shrugged. "Mating with Hiei isn't the easiest thing to do," she answered. "Especially with that black fire around us all the time."

"Wait, he uses the Darkness Flame when you two…?"

"Yeah, it happens that way," she r4eplied. "Not to mention Hiei's body gets, like, really hot and he-"

"All right, Tamara, enough of the details."

She looked past the fox and smiled when she saw Hiei, completely healed and using his own shirt to wipe the blood from his face.

"Hisao is waiting for you," he said, Yukina walking up behind him. "He's willing to let you drink from him so you can heal."

Tamara stood then, wobbling so much that Hiei had to run and catch her.

"Oooh, dizzy," she mumbled.

"I'll never let you fall again," he told her in her hear, unknown to the other two apparitions. "Not so long as I'm here to catch you."

She smiled a little, and then shook her head. She was too dizzy.

Hiei silently helped Tamara into the bedroom and shut the door behind her. He casually came back and sat on the couch, hands in his pockets.

Yukina, quiet as always, went into the kitchen for a drink. Kurama looked to his friend then.

"Bruises and burns?" he repeated. What the hell was wrong with them?

Hiei, much like Tamara, shrugged casually. "It isn't my fault if she can't handle it. But she likes it."

"All right, cool, then." Kurama was starting to become embarrassed. They were way too open about their intimate moments.

* * *

In the bedroom, Tamara transformed again, staring hungrily at Hisao, who was holding one bloodied knee on the floor. He was already started for her. How wonderful her mate was.

"I told you to go," she told him quietly. "I don't believe everyone realizes that it's Wednesday. And-you poor thing-it's after sundown. I'm just sorry that you had to be the one on the wrong end of the food chain."

Her voice was not her own. She knelt close to his face, and he screamed, "No! Tamara, this isn't you! I'm your friend!"

She paused for only a moment. "I tell you what, Hisao, my friend. I won't kill you. I'll just drink until I feel better. And sorry if it hurts. When I'm like this, it's not at all pleasurable for the one I choose for my victim."

She couldn't help but grin mentally. He did look good enough to eat.

She moved down to that open artery in his leg. Perfect. She leaned down toward it, her throat burning with a thirst only she would ever know.

His scream didn't last long. Tamara reached out and clamped his mouth shut.

Hiei felt her pleasure. No, it wasn't as good as sex, but he could tell that she loved it. The sensations from feeding on a demon's blood. The way her whole body shivered during that first taste.

His eyes widened. If things went on like this, she could become addicted. And if that happened, there's no telling how many demons she'd hunt in only one night.


	25. Chapter Twenty Four: Doctor's Appointmen

**Chapter Twenty Four: Doctor's Appointment.**

* * *

Hisao didn't die that night, but Tamara had to go kill a human to be able to truly feed.

A month had passed since then. Hiei and Tamara both had been feeling weird sense. Hisao moved to day shift to avoid Tamara, and Hiei didn't have anyone to at the moment to loathe in his spare time. Well, except Kuwabara, but that was more of an obligation than a hobby. At least that's how Hiei felt about it.

They also had the discussion on Tamara consuming demons. She agreed to stop, but humans weren't the same. Filled her up, sure, but it wasn't near as tasty.

She was at the doctor's office with Rin, who'd made her the appointment. Apparently, people were supposed to go to the doctor every year. But it was Rin's money. She wasn't complaining.

"Now, once we get this done, we can talk about dentists," she said to her daughter. "You have to go there for a cleaning every six months."

"Rin, I can't afford all that," she replied. "And I know you can't, either. I'll do all that when I have insurance."

This discussion lasted for ten minutes before "Tamara Itou" was called. Tamara stood and followed the nurse (which looked nothing like the ones she was used to) into the small examination room. She didn't like this. She'd much rather be with Hiei and everyone else. Or just having sex with Hiei. That was just fine.

Sex wasn't daily for them… not all the time. Just a lot. It was amazing how the sex was changing, though. While as rough and hot as ever, something about it was different. The two sometimes said the "L" word during sex. Hiei talked dirty more often. The Darkness Flame burned her less and less.

And just as she thought, the doctor told Tamara that she was perfectly healthy, and blood test results would be in the next day. Tamara was only worried about them finding out about her demon blood. That wouldn't be good. At least, not for her. She could claim to be the only one. And then she could spend the next five months in a cage.

* * *

Tuesday morning, Tamara woke up alone. Hiei was probably out getting breakfast. She got up, going into the kitchen for her usual brandy and coffee. She had a message on the answering machine from the doctor's office.

"Yes, Miss Itou-" The doctor spouted off his name. "After you left, we ran some tests on both your blood and urine-"

She yawned. Tamara already knew that she was fine. She didn't need him to tell her all that again.

"-you're pregnant. I'd like to schedule-"

What. The. _Fuck_.

No. no way. There was no way. Not when she had to face Walter in less than five months!

* * *

Across town, Hiei and Yusuke were on their way to the apartment, breakfast for three in hand. The Mazuku and the fire demon were racing, when the latter suddenly stopped.

He felt shocked. He felt… a little scared. Nervous. But shocked for the most part. Tamara…

Hiei took off again, this time not holding back. Something was wrong, Hiei could feel it. His mate was freaking out. But over what? Nothing had been wrong at the apartment when he'd left a little while ago. A nightmare? No, this was something different. Tamara wasn't near as afraid as she was when she dreamed of the Otherworld. She was just… surprised. But why?

He beat the Spirit Detective to the apartment by only a few seconds. He set the food on the coffee table and made his way to the kitchen, Yusuke shortly behind him.

"Tamara," he said, looking at the woman leaning back on the counter. "What is it?"

She looked from the floor to Hiei, and then back down. How was she going to tell him? What was she going to even say? She sighed, her hand going to her lower abdomen.

Watching her body language, Hiei eyed where her hand landed. He wasn't sure if she was hurting or not, but now he had some ideas. Looks like a bigger apartment would be needed.

"I have to go back to the doctor tomorrow," she said quietly.

"Why, what's up?" Yusuke asked. "You're not sick, are you?"

"I'm pregnant." She didn't say it to anyone in particular. It just needed to be said. She wasn't sure if she believed it for herself, so it was better to say it out loud. Had she really been so caught up that she didn't realize she'd missed a period? God, she knew she should have bought birth control. But would that have helped against a demon seed? Somehow she highly doubted it. Pregnancy had never been an issue in the Otherworld. Walter had made sure of that. He'd made her totally infertile after he'd found out she'd had sex with Pyramid Head. So why could she get pregnant now?

Hiei and Yusuke didn't know how to react; the latter staring at the former to know what to do. Hiei simply stood there, not knowing how to react. Tamara was pregnant? He was going to be a father? Wait a minute… he was reproducing? He could hear the jokes about this already…

"How…?" That was the only thing he could think to say. He knew _how_, sure. But he didn't know what to say. At all.

"We've been having sex almost every day since we've mated," she stated bluntly.

"Well, now we know why Hiei has been in such a great mood for awhile," Yusuke said with an awkward laugh. "I'm gonna go eat my food now, and let you two talk."

He inched out with wide eyes. Tamara looked up and stared at Hiei. "What do we do?" she asked. "This… I've never done this before…"

"Neither have I," he answered. "But we've marked each other. It's only natural that we reproduce."

"But you know I'll be going back soon," she said. "I mean, I'll come back as soon as I can, and I'll of course be careful… but Walter is-"

I'll never let him touch you again," Hiei snapped. "Not so long as you bare my fangs on your body. Hell, while I exist. He will _never_ hurt you again."

She was starting to cry, but with tears of joy. She came over and hugged Hiei tightly. They were going to have a child. Together. He'd had her after that first sentence. That had somehow made her feel better about the whole thing.

"I love you," she told him. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

* * *

Hiei came with her to the doctor the next day, but only after some convincing. He didn't like the idea of watching a doctor give her an ultrasound, but she absolutely insisted, promising that she'd get a picture of the embryo, too.

They sat in the room together, Tamara in her paper gown, staring at the leg props at the end of the bed she was on. Getting a pap smear the other day had hurt, so she wondered how painful a camera would be. Surely not more painful than the first few seconds of sex with Hiei…

She glanced over at him. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed and eyes closed. He wasn't wearing his cloak today, despite the cold weather. He'd been silent since she'd changed into the stupid gown. He obviously was not comfortable with the situation.

The doctor came in, friendly as ever and pushing up his glasses, attempting to greet Hiei properly. The fire demon quietly shook the man's hand, mumbling his usual "hn."

"Ignore him, sir, he's not in a great mood this morning."

"Right, right," the doctor replied quickly. "No problem. You're my patient, after all, my dear. Now, on the phone you said you didn't realize you'd missed a cycle."

"Yes, sir," she replied. "I've been working a lot lately, so I guess I just didn't pay much attention when I didn't start."

From the corner of her eye, Tamara could see Hiei blushing. She tried not to laugh.

"Totally understandable. But you must realize how careful you need to be at work now. If you plan to keep your child."

"Oh, I plan to," she said. "Don't worry about that. We're already looking for a bigger place." That last part was a lie. She and Hiei had spent the whole day having sex after Yusuke had left. Some things just didn't change.

"Ah, so you two are married, then?" the doctor asked. "you were single in your paperwork."

"Uh, no, we aren't married," she replied. "We-"

"We're engaged," Hiei told the doctor, smirking. "We'll be married before the summer."

The doctor nodded in agreement, putting on examination gloves. Tamara stared at him. Engaged? Married? She didn't think Hiei believed in all that. They certainly had never talked about it. Ever since they'd mated, they were just like a married couple. Their marks were the only thing they'd needed to know.

"Well, let's get started." Tamara got herself in position, forcing herself to relax. If she thought about something else, it wouldn't hurt that bad. God, a cigarette would be great. But she'd have to give those up before too long. And wine. Coffee and brandy. But that wasn't a huge deal. She hadn't dr4ank that much before she'd came to this world.

Hiei tried to keep his eyes on the floor, his cheeks darkening. This was just weird to him.

"Can I get a picture?" Tamara asked the doctor, eyes on the monitor. "I know it's early, but I'm a photo fanatic."

"Of course you can." The doctor was smiling. "A lot of women like to have ultrasound photos from two weeks."

Hiei saw it then, on the screen beside Tamara. Two dots, attached together. A whole two cells, a cord running from one of them to attach itself to Tamara. Something so small was becoming so much trouble already. But something in the back of the fire demon's mind stirred. Probably some kind of demon instinct that he hadn't known about before. His mate was carrying his child now. Their child. Their first child.

Tamara stared at it, too. All this fuss over a couple of dots? Somehow she'd pictured it different. But it was okay. She had something alive _inside_ her. Living there, growing every day.

"Oh, my god," she said quietly. "That's… that's my baby."

"Yes ma'am, it is." The doctor was smiling at her. "From this, it seems as though you're five weeks along now. Good thing you found out early before the morning sickness set in."

"Yeah, good thing I can be expecting it now, I guess." Tamara didn't like the idea of morning sickness.

"Well, there are foods you can eat that will help with that," he replied. "Now, I'll get your picture and some brochures and then we-"

The picture on the screen suddenly seemed to contract. A heartbeat. And a strong one, at that. The doctor's eyes widened. "Now, it's too early for that," he said, taking off his glasses and almost standing up from his seat.

"My mother said that my sister and I both did the same thing," Hiei interjected quickly. "Both of us are perfectly fine. I'm sure it's hereditary. Makes for strong children."

He was using his telepathy to brainwash him. Seemed that might have to be done later as well, if the child just so happened to be born with an aura of fire like he had.

The doctor, still slightly shocked, nodded in agreement before getting the camera out of Tamara. She was glad that the discomfort was gone, and she woud be able to get out of the gown after another breast exam.

They got the picture on their way out. Tamara adored it, and she could tell that even Hiei did as well. He stared at it curiously, an eyebrow raised. It was cute, really, how he was doing that.

* * *

"Hiei, you didn't mean that, did you?" They were in front of the apartment building, making their way inside.

"Mean what?"

"That we were getting married."

They both blushed darkly. Of course Hiei had meant it, if she wanted to. He just hadn't wanted that doctor to lecture her or judge her any more than he would be over the next nine months. She wasn't going to be a single parent. They were married on Demon World terms (without the proper ceremony), but not in Living World.

"Do you want to get maried?" he asked. "On Living World terms, I mean."

She shrugged in response. "I don't know. I mean, I want to, but that's insanely expensive to do."

"It could be as big as you wanted." "On my salary? I think not, Hiei."

"No, on mine."

They were walking inside the apartment. "You get paid?" she asked.

"Hn. Of course I do. I don't do all this detective stuff for free. And I wasn't on border control for free, either." He smirked. "I really haven't spent any of it since my involvement with Spirit World. I have Koenma put it away for me."

"And when you were on border patrol?"

"Gave it to Koenma. I knew I'd use it one day if I ever needed it."

"Well, then. No wonder you lived in storage buildings. You're stingy as hell."

He kissed her forehead. "I'm not stingy. I've just never had a use for material things."

She raised an eyebrow. "And you'd go back to the warehouse and trees and not miss my bed?"

"Not at all."

She laughed. "Oh, I see how it is, then. Have fun with all that." She began to walk into the kitchen, stomach growling, when Hiei grabbed her from behind and pulled her to him.

"The only reason I don't go back," he whispered, kissing the shell of her ear, "is because I want to be where you are. Always."

"Good, then we can buy an actual house with your money." She pulled away. "I'll keep working, naturally. But you can get it."

He blinked a couple of times. Why had he said anything?


	26. Chapter Twenty Five: Engagement

**Chapter Twenty Five: Engagement.**

* * *

Hiei had already bought Tamara a ring. He'd panned on waiting to give it to her, but now was as good a time as ever. He left it on her bedside table, case open. He'd gone to Demon World during a case and actually _made_ the group stop so he could get some business handled. What he didn't tell them is that he'd gotten Tamara a ring.

The stone was a diamond, naturally, but the band was both silver and black metals, swirling around like they had been twisted together-then again, it probably had been. There were designs on the metals, and one dragon eye on each side. The jewel sat between a dragon's jaws. And in the middle the diamond had been cut so that a rare ruby could be put into it.

He only showed Kurama this, and the fox had actually hugged him in congratulations. Hiei still wasn't sure how to feel about that part. Even if Kurama was his best friend.

Spirit World was once again quiet. Koenma wasn't even stamping away at papers like usual. He was just sitting backc in his chair, eyes closed.

"Koenma," Hiei said loudly, standing at his desk.

The toddler jumped and then sat upright, fixing his hat. "Oh, Hiei, hello… how may I help you?"

At least he was getting down to business. "The money that I've been keeping here; I need it."

"What could you possibly need that for?"

Hiei's head was already hurting. "I don't have to explain myself."

"All right, no need to be rude, Hiei." The toddler mentally rolled his eyes. Friendly talk just _wasn't_ this boy's nature. "I assume you'll want it in Demon World currency?"

"Living, genius."

"What!?" The toddler then stood on his desk, eyes wide, getting closer to Hiei. "What on earth could you want with _that_ amount of money in Living World?"

"Hn. Depends. Is it a decent amount?"

"It's more than decent, Hiei! Now, please tell me what's going on and I'll help you."

"You don't have the right to question someone about what belongs to them."

"But I want to know!"

An ogre was approaching Hiei, and the fire demon's gaze flashed to it. "Bank account. Use my name, last name Jaganshi, if it matters."

The ogre nodded, then took off. Hiei was smirking. "What could you give me to learn this piece of information?"

"What do you want?" Koenma asked in response. "That is an insane amount of money, Hiei. Surely you hav a reason for wanting it all at once."

"Let Tamara speak to her father, and I'll give you all the dirty details." He was still smirking. The look on his face actually scared Koenma. What was the fire demon planning? Surely nothing too awful… even if he wasn't on probation anymore, Hiei had better sense than to do anything rash. Right?

"That's all? Give a child access to her dead father in Limbo? Done!"

"You can't question Tamara about who she is until afterward, either." Hiei was going to make this worth his while. He was already stressed out from the rest of this business. And sex sounded good at the moment.

"Now, tell me what's going on," the toddler said with a grin. "I agree to all of your terms, naturally."

"If you take it back, I'll kill you. For good."

"Right." He could hear the sudden nervousness in Koenma's voice. "Get on with it, then."

"Tamara and I are planning a marriage ceremony in Living World, and buying a house so we can get the baby's room ready."

For once, the toddler had nothing to say. Hiei was getting married? And having a child? That wasn't like him at all. But a demon's nature, in many ways, couldn't be change. And it was in their nature to breed. And sometimes even to love.

Hiei was glaring at Koenma now. He was embarrassed. He was the last one _anybody_ expected to get married or have kids. To even love anyone else other than himself.

After all, it was expected of him. He was an ice apparition born of fire, a male. Living in direct opposition to what he really was. Consuming everything around him with hatred. That made him wonder if he would eventually burn up Tamara, too, although her humanity was only hanging by a thread when they'd met. The one thing in his world that he loved more than his sister… would he? Would the flames of his abominable nature devour her as well? Or could he for once love something instead without the fear of losing it?

Of course he loved her. He knew he loved her. But could it possibly work without him screwing it up? He still hadn't told his sister who he really was, and they've known each other for years. So far, yes, he and Tamara were working out well. But what if she eventually grew bored with him, or vice versa? What if she decided to stay a human in the end, wanting nothing to do with demons or their world? What if she decided to stay human and then he have to outlive her for a thousand years?

Wait, why was he doubting himself now? He loved her. He wouldn't hurt her, or their child. No, he's made it this far without messing it up. There was no way he could do anything wrong now.

"Well, Hiei," Koenma stammered, an ogre handing him a piece of paper, "your money is in the bank and ready. Your checkbook and debit card will be sent to your apartment shortly."

"Hn. Good. I'm bringing Tamara here tomorrow, then. Make sure and have him ready."

"And what of the uncle?"

Hiei was turning away to leave. "Him too, I suppose. If that's what she wants." He began to walk out of the office then.

"And, Hiei?"

The fire demon turned around again. What the hell could he want now?

"Congratulations. I know you'll be a great father."

Hiei almost blushed, but he just said "Hn" and walked out. But it felt good to hear it. It really did help.

* * *

_Here she was again. The old apartment. She hadn't come here willingly tonight, though. No, something else had brought her here._

"_You don't even realize what you're doing to yourself."_

_The monster she'd grown fond of over the years stood before her. "Walter will be angry, you know."_

"_Walter can suck it," she replied. "He'll be dead seven days after my return, anyway. So it doesn't matter how much his panties get bunched up."_

"_Even so, you know he stays in our home. Always waiting for his prey to come home." She had the broken wings of the dark angel again, and two sharp points protruded from her shoulder blades. The Halo of the Sun glowed on her skin as bright as ever. "We will suffer for what you're doing."_

"_We're the same person. You're doing it too," Tamara told the beast. "You know that it will be worth it in the end. We both know it."_

_The wings, bleeding as well as broken, dragged the floor as the monster closed the distance between them. "You will suffer greatly, Tamara. We will suffer beyond imagination."_

"_Hiei will protect us."_

"_Hiei will come to the Otherworld after feeling your pain and your fear. And then he will see what we have become."_

"_Then I guess he'll have to see it."_

"_Hah!" The monster was growing angry. "At least we will get the fight we promised him! Just know tht the Holy Mother plans on making the both of us suffer for coming home after a year of not seeing Walter at all."_

"_Walter is the only one causing the pain in that place." Her shoulder was starting to burn. "What more can he do to us than he already has? What more can he do than rape us for a week straight?"_

"_He will take our child, Tamara. I'm trying to tell you."_

_Tamara's hand automatically went to her thigh. There was a handgun there. Perfect. As always, she came armed. "Don't say that."_

"_He will. In the future I see Hiei fighting us in the Otherworld, our child lost to us. The Assumption is going to turn me into a mindless killing machine." Tamara gripped her gun, pulling it from the holster and holding it to the monster's head. "You, of course, will be nothing more than Walter Sullivan's little bit-"_

_She hadn't wanted to shoot her, but the gun had been fair warning. She couldn't hear any more of that. She wasn't going to. Her vision went black, and she felt the bullet as it had hit the monster's skull. Seemed that happened every time she killed her. Then again, she was killing herself when that happened. _

"I hope you're ready for your wings to be broken, Tamara."

_That was Walter's voice. No. not him._

* * *

She jumped completely out of bed, hand going under her pillow for her pistol. She looked about the room, eyes wide and adrenaline pumping. No one was there. Of course not. It was only a dream, after all. Always a dream.

She sighed as she sat back down on the bed. Typical Wednesday afternoon, waking up ready to shoot anything her mind might assume is trying to hurt her.

She sat her gun down on the bedside table and went for her cigarettes and lighter. Quitting this wouldn't be easy, but she'd try. Apparently weaning herself off slowly was the best thing for the baby. Tamara had no problem with that.

She was putting her lighter back down when she saw it. The most beautiful ring in the world. A diamond held between the teeth of a dragon. A strange red stone in the middle of it. Black and silver strips of metal twisting around each other. Her heart began to swell.

If Hiei hadn't stole this, it had probably cost him a fortune. It was wonderful. She loved it. Absolutely loved every bit of it.

The door opened, and she had to keep from running toward the door, slipping the ring on her left ring finger. It fit perfectly, too. This was going to be a good day, surely.

He met her with open arms. She hugged him tight, a stray tear falling down her cheek. She'd never done anything to deserve someone who was so good to her. And he was by far the best thing that had ever come into her life. In six months he'd shown her more love than anyone ever had in twenty one years. He'd found her mother for, made _real_ love to her, held her at night when she woke up from a nightmare. He listened to her bitching. He got her breakfast every morning. And now he was giving her a child and even a proper marriage.

"I've never been so happy in my whole life," she said quietly in his ear. She closed her eyes. "Thank you so much, Hiei."

Her nightmare was forgotten. There was nothing else in this world but them now. "Hn. I take it you like the ring, then."

She rolled her eyes and let go of him, wiping her face with her hand. "Of course I do," she replied. "It's the most perfect thing in the world, Hiei. I've never been giving anything like this before."

He smirked at her. "I'm glad you like it. Now, I'm sure you know that there's an engagement party at your mother's tomorrow night."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh, yes, Kurama has planned the whole thing." Hiei's smirk disappeared. "I told him about the ring when I got it. He's too excited."

"Oh, wow. I should probably make a few calls, then…"

"Don't. He's already invited everyone."

"Then I'll just head to Yusuke's, silly."

"Hn."

She got dressed quickly and they headed uptown. She couldn't wait for all this. Especially the jokes they were gonna make about poor Hiei. Naturally, she might take part in this too. And maybe they could look at apartments or even houses.

God, she was becoming such a woman. It kind of scared her.

"Hey, Tamara, Hiei." Keiko had answered the door. "Yusuke and Kuwabara should be on their way back now. You've made it just in time. And Kurama plans on coming over later, too."

"Seems the gang's always here, right, Keiko?" Tamara asked. "That's why I'm glad I live far off."

"Oh, I enjoy it," she replied. "Keeps me busy. Oh, and Botan will be here to help me with dinner, if you'd like to join us."

"No, can't do that unless it's early." Tamara's eyes flickered to the floor. "It's… you know, Wednesday."

"Oh, right."

Tamara had her big purse, photo album included, and showed Keiko the ultrasound. Underneath it was labeled "Five Weeks!" Keiko flushed and smiled and giggled like a little girl. Tamara laughed. Seems one person was kept out of the loop, after all. And when she mentioned the wedding, the girl broke out the wedding magazines.

Hiei took his place on a bay window, not caring for this sort of talk. He was blushing a little, too. Tamara and Keiko began looking at dresses and making fun of the models. It was weird, doing this with another girl. At least she could say she had one girl friend. Better than just Hiei's friends.

* * *

When Yusuke came back, the jokes didn't come back immediately. But he did laugh. A lot. Kuwabara laughed, too, but he was mostly too shocked to say anything.

"And here we wondered why you'd stopped us in Demon World in the middle of fucking _nowhere_," Yusuke chimed loudly. "You were getting your woman a ring! You could have told us, you know!"

"And then it wouldn't have been a surprise to her, would it?" Hiei knew that they would have said something, which is why only Kurama had known about it. Kurama could keep a secret.

"Oh, my god, look at these heels, Hiei!" Tamara said, holding up a magazine. "Do you think I'd be able to wear those?"

God. She'd be much too tall. Hiei just said "Hn" and looked away, cheeks darkening.

"Hah! He'd have to stand on three phone books just to kiss you!" Oh, he'd been waiting for that one. Especially from the stupid ginger. "I mean, you'd have a whole four or five inches on him in those!"

"Oh, be nice," Tamara said, turning the page quickly. "Besides, I like my men small."

The burst of laughter was enough to want Hiei to hide himself under a rock. He was not small. Short, yes. But he wasn't small. And she knew it better than anyone in this whole world.

He could see her grinning from the reflection in the window. She still loved the jokes. She'd made more than a few when they'd hated each other, after all. Seemed only natural that she make them now, too.

But Hiei was too much of a man for all that. He only let his guard down when they were alone. And during those times they were usually serious.

She took the time to show them the photo as well. Always flipping to the back, not letting anyone see those pictures. Hiei still hadn't seen anything other than what Tamara had already shown him. It was like she was dragged back into her nightmares when she looked at them. But she did look at them. She looked at them at night, when she was in the bath. That was her private time, it seemed. But Hiei enjoyed it. Sometimes she needed to think about the Otherworld, strategize how she could get out faster and come back to the Living World.

Come back and be with him for the rest of her days. Away from Walter Sullivan.

Kurama came in, and shook Hiei's hand. He was smiling like a fool, too. Was everyone really this excited over the fire demon getting married? It couldn't possibly be that big of a deal.

* * *

The afternoon came and went. Tamara ended up going to the nearest patch of woods for some target practice. Shooting helped her think. Especially when it came to thinking of her nightmares.

She'd never sprouted wings before. Sure, she'd gotten rather nightmarish, feeling the skin on her back tighten and something protrude from beneath her shoulders. But she'd never actually sprouted them. It made her wonder if she could at all. Hell, maybe she should try it.

Or would that be too much trouble? Would she bleed out, maybe?

She shot trees, targets she'd thrown herself, and even a few birds and other small animals. She used all the ammo she had on her; a full chamber used on practice shots.

She put the pistol into her purse. One hour to get back to the apartment so she could transform in peace.

She'd make sure to put away her ring, safely in her case. Catching demons was hard when you wore an engagement ring.


	27. Chapter Twenty Six: Father

**Chapter Twenty Six: Father.**

* * *

Tamara was amazed at Koenma's office. She couldn't believe she was actually in Spirit World. Seemed traveling dimensions was her thing. But what she was amazed with the most was how Spirit World was run by a toddler. That was funnier than the jokes about Hiei's height. And those jokes were funny.

Tamara's father, and her uncle if she pleased, were waiting for her. Though they didn't know that. Tamara had the drawing of her mother and her in her purse. She wanted to surprise them, after all.

She decided she'd visit her uncle later, though.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you, Tamara," Koenma noted after jokes were made and laughs were shared. "I'd like to speak with you about a few things after you're done in there."

"Fine by me," she replied. "But first, make sure he's in a room with plenty of space."

"Space?"

"Yeah. This is gonna be interesting. Feel free to watch."

Hiei chuckled. Tamara had been holding back some anger for some time towards her father. Mainly because her mother had had a totally perfect excuse to leave her behind. This man, however, had no reason at all. He'd just left anyway. For his own reasons that were more than likely neither legitimate or real.

Tamara had the file on her mother, also. An ogre led her to double doors before backing away slowly. Hiei had warned her that they might be scared of her. When she asked why, he said that not only was she completely unknown but she was marrying the most ruthless demon in the universe. She'd laughed at that.

Her father's name was Reginald. He'd been twenty when he'd met Rin, and died at twenty two. Her uncle had been twenty at death. They'd gotten the chair when they were caught for killing those people. Oh, so they had a mean streak. Maybe that's where Tamara got it from.

She was smiling as she came through the doors. Reginald was sitting in a chair. There were two chairs, and a table in between them. But at least the room was big. Tamara sat her purse down on the table, having a seat. From a surveillance camera, Koenma and Hiei had a pretty good view.

"Do you know who I am, Reginald?" she asked.

The man smiled. At least he had straight teeth. His corn rows were neat, too. So he'd taken care of himself before death. "Ol' Koenma told me I was gettin' company. I just didn't expect it to be someone as pretty as you."

"Shut up," she snapped. "I said, do you know who I am?"

"Never seen ya before, sweetheart," he said. "But I promise I'm good at what I know."

"I'm not here for your comfort." Oh, he was one of those guys. "I'm here concerning a certain woman you comforted in the Living World."

The man laughed, dark skin shining in the light. He was sweating. He hadn't been out of Limbo too long. "Why you askin' me?" he asked. "If you ain't gettin' me outta Limbo, I'm afraid I'm of no use to you."

"This room is going to be worse than Limbo soon enough." She opened her mother's file and took out the picture of her mother when she'd had Rin, a picture from her school. She slid it his way with her index finger. "Familiar?"

He eyed it carefully, and then his demeanor changed. His eyes widened, and his fingers shook a little when he put the photo down. "Rin Itou?" he asked, looking up at Tamara.

"Yeah, now we're getting somewhere." She crossed her legs and leaned forward. "Do you remember Rin? Anything at all will do."

"Is she in trouble?" he asked. "Will I get outta Limbo if I tell what I know?"

Tamara shrugged in response. "I can see through your lies. Just tell me what you know."

"We dated awhile," the man blurted. "I got her pregnant. She took off after she was born, and I-"

"She?" Tamara interrupted. "You had a daughter?"

"Yeah, yeah, we had a kid together." The man looked down at his hands. "I was gonna keep her, see, but I couldn't find Rin nowhere. She just ran off. I was gonna help her, get married and all that."

"Where did she say she was going the last time you saw her?"

"The store."

Tamara's eyes narrowed. "You're a liar," she said quietly. "Even in death you dare try to lie to someone like me."

"Who the hell are you, anyway?"

Tamara stood, opening her purse. She not only had her gun, but she had a wrench as well. And a small piece of lead pipe. She placed each of these before the man, making sure he could feel her demon energy.

He gulped. "I read your file," she began. "I know who you are inside and out, Reginald. You let her go, said it was better for both of you. You couldn't step up and be a _man_." She smirked. "Jonathan tried to stop you, though. That was the first fight you two had gotten into. How you abandoned your child."

"I believe I asked you a question," the man said, backing up his chair to stand. Oh, he was tall. Quite tall. "I ain't scared of no woman."

"I believe it. You killed one and ended up here, right?" she asked in reply. "Sad deal, really."

"Who are you?" he asked. He was getting impatient, and he was definitely scared.

Tamara picked up the handgun, looking at it in admiration. "My name is Tamara," she said quietly. She pointed at the man's chest. "I turned twenty two on October seventeenth of last year."

"What's that gotta do with me?" Reginald asked, raising an eyebrow. He was going to pounce soon. Oh, she loved it.

Tamara reached into her purse again, taking her aim off of him. She pulled out the drawing and handed it to him. The man's eyes nearly burst out of his skull. He recognized the woman instantly, and the style of drawing. Rin's style.

"I'm your daughter," she said, and then shot him point-blank in the kneecap. He fell to the floor, cursing and shouting. Bleeding. Tamara laughed. What Hiei said was right. She could probably kill him a million times in this room, just to bring him back. "I've always wondered who you are, you know. And I went through hell to figure it out."

That was a lie. But she didn't care. She'd gone through hell. And it was his fault. He'd been so close to her for the first two years of his life, and didn't even bother to see where she'd gone. Went and got himself put to death for killing four people.

"What the fuck!" he shouted, and backed away from her. "How can you be here! You dead, child?"

"No, I'm not dead." She shot again, past his head. His curses fell silent. "At least, I'm not dead on the outside." She walked over and knelt beside him. "I hope you realize what I'm here for."

"Hope it ain't child support." The man smirked back at her. Tamara actually laughed.

"Oh, daddy's got jokes," she said. "Did you tell that one when you told Rin to let me go? You didn't even make sure I was safe in the place she'd left me in."

"Why the hell did I care?" he asked, screaming. "I was on that good shit then! A child was the last thing on my mind!"

"Because how would you feel if your mother left _you_ alone in a subway station, without a name or even a picture of her? Huh?" She was in his face now, an angry tear streaming down her face. "You could have made the difference in me. You could have raised me. Hell, you could have at least named me. Gave me some kind of family." She leaned back on her heels. Good thing she was wearing flats. "But no. I got nothing. Rin couldn't keep me. I forgave her. But you had no excuse at all. Besides your laziness."

She shot him in the gut, then. "You deserve everything you go through every day," she said. "You're just lucky you died before you came to my world. I would have found you, too. And you have no idea what I would have done to you seven months ago."

The man was holding his leg and his stomach, lying on the floor. It was rich to know that in five minutes he'd be fine again. "I would have destroyed you slowly," she whispered. "I would have made you suffer the way I have. And I would have fed you to the dogs, because scum like you make me nauseous."

"What the fuck you talkin' 'bout?" he asked. "No child of mine a cannibal!"

"I'm not a cannibal." Her eyes started turning white, but she fought it. "See, dad, I sold my soul to the devil a long time ago. My curse is to feed on my own kind to survive." She laughed then. Was she having too much fun? Going too far, maybe? She didn't care. "And now you're in here with me until I'm done."

"No, no!" he shouted. "I promise I didn't mean to, Tamara! Have a heart!"

"Like you did? No. I'm not going to have a heart for the next hour or so. I'm going to show you everything I went through. And what I can't show you with pain, I'll sear it into your brain until the fires of Limbo are nothing but a cool breeze to you."

She didn't shoot him again. She stood and walked over to the table, picking up her wrench and tossing the gun towards him.

Koenma gasped. Did she really just give Reginald a gun? She was living, and could die. And she didn't need to die when she had no place in the Spirit World.

"There are three bullets in that clip." Reginald's wounds were healed. He was getting up. "I want you to fight back. Fight back until you have a reason for abandoning me."

"I just plain didn't want you," the man spat. He was angry now. Good.

"I see," she replied. "Then just fight me until I'm done playing with you."

He'd already taken the shot, but he'd missed. Tamara took the wrench hard to his face, knocking him toward the far wall. She smirked. That had felt good. She went over again, flipping the lead pipe into her free hand, and shoved. Hard. Implanted it into his thigh. Then she grabbed his head, using her little-used telepathy.

_Feel my pain. Know my fear._

He dropped the gun. That hadn't lasted long. He was crying. He really had done something awful. His daughter lived a horrible life because he'd chosen to let Rin abandon her. Chosen not to take her himself, and maybe live a decent life. Chose to let those people hurt her.

"And then I went to hell." She took the wrench and hit it hard on his skull. Blood splattered on her face. His skull cracked. He was dead, for now. Oh, and things were only just getting good.

She stood up straight, moving a stray curl. "Bring me my uncle Jonathan," she said aloud, grinning at the camera. "I would like to speak to him as well."

Koenma did as he was told, tears in his eyes. Hiei was almost shocked. She hadn't even given the man a chance to explain himself. She'd just tore him apart without mercy. Drove a goddamned _lead pipe_ into his leg. Without even blinking. She'd smirked the whole time. She really was angry at her father.

Then again, he had no excuse for leaving her. He had nothing better to do and had chosen drugs and crime over his child. He was the one who was no better than the ice apparitions. He'd grown to like Rin, at least a little. He tolerated the woman, while she seemed to like him less and less. She told Tamara that he was too quiet.

When the door opened in the room, Tamara was picking up the gun. Her father was already waking up. Oh well. Jonathan was there now.

His hair was in many bands, frizzy. And his eyes got wide when he saw the woman splattered with his brother's blood.

"Hey, Jonathan," she said casually. "I'm Tamara, daughter of Rin Itou and that piece of shit over there." She gestured to the man getting up. "Now, I would like you to tell me why _you_ didn't beat some sense into this guy."

He didn't say anything, just backed against the wall. He was even more afraid. "Jon, get out!" Reginald shouted. "She crazy!"

She turned back toward her father. "Like father, like daughter." She shot him again in the other leg, hitting that steel pipe perfectly. It made a sound that echoed through his legs, fracturing a few places in his femur. He fell down again, crying. "Now, Uncle Jonathan, help me out a little."

He shook his head. "I-I can't make no excuse," he stammered. "I left it alone, wasn't my business, anyway."

"Right, right." She walked up to him slowly, holding her hands out. "I'll make you think differently." She touched one finger to his forehead, stretching her mind out again.

He fell to the floor in tears after a few minutes. She went over to the table again, pulling out the old photo album. This was the last time she'd bring it out to show people. She threw it at her uncle while her father crawled toward them, his leg not healing quickly at all.

"Take a look at that," she said. "It's all very real, as you both know. I didn't take these, either. A man that I _devoured_ did while I toyed with him."

They were forced to look at the pictures. Reginald cried more than Jonathan did. After all, it was his daughter that had to face all this. She'd faced it every day for years.

"So much blood," he said, followed by his brother's mumbling of "Monsters."

"See that?" she asked, pointing to a picture of a man in a trench coat. "That man took my virginity on my _birthday_. He raped me and erased my memory so I'd never know. He starved me and kept me locked away in his own personal hell." She snatched it up and took it back to her purse.

Tears came to her eyes then. She couldn't keep torturing them like this. She had to stop. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself later.

She pulled the pipe from Reginald's leg, smirking slightly at his scream. She sat back down, crossing her legs.

"Sorry, guys, I had a bit of a rampage there." She was talking to the fire demon and the toddler that were watching her. "Now then, father and uncle." She sighed. "I gave you two what you deserved. Especially you, dad."

She eyed Reginald, who was trying to stand on his own without Jonathan helping him. "I don't doubt for a second that you wanted me. You just weren't man enough to take up the job." She stood then. "Maybe next time I won't want to kill you when I see you, Reginald. But I couldn't help myself. I just wanted to hit you, _once_. I didn't even want to ask you why. I just wanted to hit you."

She gathered her things. Reginald reached out and walked toward her, attempting to touch her shoulder.

She turned and swatted his hand away. "You don't deserve my mercy, much less being able to touch me," she growled.

"I prayed for you the day I died," he told her. Her eyes widened. "I can honestly tell ya that. I prayed you was still alive, and that I'd get to see ya. You made my wish come true, girl. Thank you."

That was a kick in the face if she knew what it was. "And I did name ya," he continued. "Though I can't rightly remember what it was…"

She smirked. "Exactly. You can't even remember your daughter's name." She looked to the camera. "Hiei, I'm ready to talk with Koenma now." She looked back to the man who had a part in her conception. "That guy out there is more of a man than you will ever be. And it's bad when a demon is more loving than a human man."

She walked out then, not even hearing whatever came from Reginald's mouth. She sat down in Koenma's office five minutes later, blood off of her face. She explained the Otherworld to the toddler, telling even how it was created and what resided there. But she made him promise he wouldn't go exploring it. No, he couldn't do that. She told him to look into the Order, but to leave the Otherworld alone. Pissing off Alessa was the last thing that needed to happen. She could expand her territory again whenever she pleased to.

Koenma shook her hand on it, and Hiei gave him a look she didn't quite get. But that was okay. As long as he didn't try to get into the Otherworld.


	28. Ch Twenty Seven: The Nightmare Begins

**Chapter Twenty Seven: The Nightmare Begins.**

* * *

Tamara did not like shopping. At all. Especially with a bunch of girls.

She was with Shizuru, Keiko, Yukina, and even Botan. She was going shopping for the wedding, trying cakes and looking at decorations. And the rest of these girls were freaking out. Well, Shizuru was casual about it. As always. They had cameras ready for Tamara's album and everything. Rin was going to meet them at the finest catering service in the city, saying the food was on her. That was fine. Although it wasn't like Hiei didn't have millions on his credit card he'd given to Tamara.

Oh, how she loved it. She hadn't spent a dime on it yet, but she was itching to. She just wished she'd known about it earlier. Even though she did wonder why she hadn't had an electricity bill in two or three months.

"Hey, I think this is it," she said, stopping in front of the first place that smelled like pure deliciousness. "I think I see Rin in there already…"

"Oh, goody, more cake," Shizuru said. "We're going to get fat doing all this."

"Hey, you try to plan a wedding in April when it's already February." Tamara was in too much of a hurry. She'd already found a priest who would do the wedding outdoors. Now they needed a location and official invitations and such.

She was six weeks along now, getting her new picture earlier that morning. The baby had changed a lot in just a week. It was weird, but cool. She absolutely could not wait until she knew the sex. That would be awesome.

They walked inside and Rin hugged her tight. She'd been doing that a lot. Mikoto waved, putting a forkful of cake into his mouth. Tamara smiled in response.

"All right, on to trying the food!" she said.

* * *

This went on for awhile, before Tamara decided that trying on dresses would be more entertaining. They all made their way to another part of town, Tamara mostly talking to Mikoto on the way. He was just as miserable as she was. But she did look forward to trying on new clothes. And Hiei was buying these. Not her.

When they got to the first dress shop, Tamara had a million things shoved in her face at once. She wanted an open-back dress, though, and that store didn't have many options for that. But apparently the place next door did, although they were more expensive. Tamara shrugged and moved on.

The clerks here were friendlier, but they were in Tamara's face a lot more, shoving things into her dressing room that matched vaguely what she was looking for.

"Hey, I kinda like this one," she told the others, walking out. It came with cool lace gloves that went to her elbows. It was plenty poofy, and fit her well. But no one liked the fabric or the cut of the dress. Tamara sighed. It was going to be a long day.

She found the perfect dress eventually, though. It was straplless and the back was open, with a sweetheart cut. It made her cleavage look good, at least. And the jewels on the front were to _die_ for, as was the red rose on her waist. It squeezed tight until her lower waist before it poofed out just a little. The train was long and had a beautiful rose embroidered on the end, not big enough to be gaudy.

The trim around the back was red, too. It matched her… scar…

She could put makeup on it, though. That wouldn't be a big deal.

"That's interesting," Rin said.

"It really says you," Shizuru commented. "I know you like roses."

"Yeah, roses are good." Tamara turned around to look at herself. The dress wasn't white, either. At least, not to her it wasn't. It was a very light, light cream. And she liked it. It fit her skin tone well.

"You need a veil," Yukina said.

Tamara raised an eyebrow, a thought coming to her suddenly. "Yukina, you just made me realize that I have no idea what the hell I'm doing with this afro I've got going on."

"That's a minor detail we'll work on later," Keiko said. "I'm sure we can find a style later."

She had a point. So Tamara went on to find a veil, keeping the dress on. Her stomach was hurting from either pregnancy or food, but she couldn't tell. Morning sickness was a bitch. And this was only her first day of it.

A simple cream veil was found, and then the women moved on to shoes. Tamara got heels anyway, even if it made Hiei look like a total moron. Wasn't her fault he was short.

"Uh, Tamara, your future husband is a whole inch shorter than you in those," Botan said. "Even though they're three inches high. Are you sure you're really Hiei's height?"

Tamara only glanced at her, holding up the poofy skirt to admire these wonderful cream shoes. "I don't care, his spiky hair will make up for it."

Tamara and Botan both laughed. "Do you think he'll actually do something with his hair for the wedding?" Yukina asked, smiling softly. "I've never seen his hair done differently before."

"That's because it's out of control," Tamara responded. "There's nothing that he can do with it, I'm telling you. I've tried all the black people tricks I know."

They all had a laugh then, again at Hiei's expense. Those hadn't been the only jokes made about him that day. But it was alright.

"So Rin, you're giving me away, right?" Tamara was looking at some neat jewelry that might match her ring.

Rin blushed. "I-I hadn't thought about it." She looked at Mikoto for only a moment. "Maybe… maybe Mikoto could. A mother is to put the veil on her bride, not give her away."

"Hmmm. Good point. Hey, Mikoto, wanna give me away at my wedding?"

Her younger brother, who had been quiet the whole time in the store, grinned. "Sure, no problem. I'll even-"

"I'd like to give Tamara away, if you don't mind."

Gut wrenching fear tore through her mind and body. She felt the air go cold. Silence fell among the women. She knew that voice. The voice of her tormentor. She turned around, moving the veil from her face, her good day going to shit in all of two seconds.

He had actually cleaned up, a little. At least, that was a new trench coat. and his hair wasn't greasy, just a little unkempt. She wasn't sure what to do. What to say. Her mind was screaming for her to run but all she could do was stand there. She bit her glossed lip until she tasted blood, her body beginning to shake and her steel eyes growing wide.

What was Walter Sullivan _doing_ here?

* * *

Hiei felt it. That fear. It was genuine. And she'd been awake. This wasn't a nightmare. It was real.

He heard her thoughts as they passed through her mind: _Walter's here…_

He stood, getting a strange look from Kurama. "What?" he asked.

"Tamara's in trouble." He took off, knowing the fox would follow suit.

What the hell was going on? Hiei didn't know Walter could travel this far. And what was worse, that rapist was also around his little sister. He couldn't be trusted. Not with anything.

And Hiei was going to kill him if he touched so much as a hair on Tamara's head.

* * *

"Who's that?" Keiko asked, looking from the man to Tamara, who was beginning to feel her knees go weak. She didn't realize how afraid of him she really was until she saw him in the flesh. He _was_ flesh now, able to be seen among the living. And no one knew who he really was here. No one would suspect who he was.

"No." Her voice was hardly a whisper. "Walter…"

"Come here, Tamara. I can't force you back. I just wanted to see your pretty face for myself."

She actually listened to him, no longer in control Shizuru had an angry look on her face, while the others looked confused. Yukina even looked a little scared. She could tell that this man wasn't normal. He wasn't human.

"You look beautiful." He held out his hand and Tamara took it, shaking. He squeezed ever so slightly, and flashbacks filled her mind. Her wide eyes began to fill with tears. "Don't cry, my dear. I'm just wanting to wish you congratulations."

"Don't hurt me," she said. God, was she begging? What was wrong with her? Before she'd known the truth she could have told him no without hesitation. Now she was too traumatized to disobey him. No, if she was disobedient it would hurt. It would hurt worse than the last time. He'd bite too hard on purpose again.

Her breath hitched when he spoke again. "I'd never hurt you, Tamara. I could never hurt something that was mine."

He pulled her into a soft hug then, and she pulled away. Well, she tried, until she felt the cool barrel of a pistol against her lower stomach through the fabric of her dress.

"I can't believe you'd do this to me, to _us_," he whispered. Perhaps only Yukina would hear them. She was the only one with high enough hearing. "I can't force you to come home, but I've been waiting for a time to visit."

He pulled the gun away. She released her breath, tears beginning to track down her cheeks. And her makeup had been so perfect today.

"I'd love to be the one to give you away, though, Tamara." He was smiling at her. "I'll be quite civil to your husband, I promise."

The clerk was looking at them strangely. Tamara ripped the tags off her dress and veil and handed her the credit card. "Run these," she said. "Grab the shoe box, too."

"Yes, ma'am," the woman replied, and headed toward the back.

"Why are you shaking, Tamara?" Walter was amused, she could see it in his eyes. "Are you afraid of something?"

"You're the devil," she whispered, fear fresh in her brain. He reached out and touched her face, chuckling at the way she flinched away from him.

"I'm far from that," he replied. "But I'm not the one you should be afraid of." He ran his fingers down her jaw and back again, cupping the side of her face. "God, I've missed you at home. Why come here, anyway? All these uncleansed souls. These sinners."

"Rape is a sin, Walter." She reached up and grabbed his wrist, although her hands were still shaking. She was crying more.

"Hey, dick, let her go," Shizuru said.

Walter's hazel eyes went from Tamara to the older woman. "Oh, I don't believe we've met. I'm-"

"Walter, leave her out of this," Tamara breathed. No. He couldn't hurt anyone else. "Reply to my statement."

His eyes went back to hers. "Yes, of course," he said quietly. He grabbed the other side of her face, and she grabbed his other wrist. He was too strong for her. He could snap her neck and leave now, without a care, if he wanted to. "I'm not going to defend what I did, Tamara. But at least you learned early."

"Shut the hell up."

"_Don't_ talk to me like that." There was anger in his voice now. Shivers ran down her spine. "I'm going to have you again, though, Tamara. Your marriage will mean nothing to me." His other hand left her face and rested gently on her stomach. "And neither will this."

His fingers were cold, she realized. Not dead cold. Like Silent Hill cold. God, she could feel the breeze of the Otherworld. And she could feel her heart in her head. "I'm going to kill you."

"You can't kill the immortal, love." He was bending closer to her, both hands on her face again. "And when you come home, we'll be together for-"

"You get the fuck away from her."

Hiei?

She remained frozen, her eyes closing. Walter had her wrist now, with one hand still on her face. He had it so tight that it was hurting. She bit her lip again. No, not Hiei. He was going to kill Hiei.

"Oh, you must be her fiancé." Walter smirked at the shorter man in the doorway, accompanied by a man with long red hair. "She has many good dreams about you, Hiei. We were just discussing my attendance at the wedding."

"I said get the fuck away from her."

He had his sword drawn. Where was that clerk? Why weren't the cops on their way?

She felt Hiei's demon energy. He'd possessed the poor woman. She was doing something stupid and ignoring the fact that there was a showdown in her store.

"You think you're stronger than me?" he asked, letting Tamara go. She fell to her knees. "I can't tell her hello without you pulling a blade on me?"

"You're the one who is making her cry. And plus, I don't think you realize that I don't like for my things to be touched."

"Your things?" Walter asked with raised eyebrows. "My good man, Tamara belongs to me. I created her when she was thirteen, after all."

"Yeah, and then you took away her innocence two years later without her consent."

"Hmmm." He leaned down and hooked Tamara's chin with his finger, forcing her to look up at him with fearful eyes.

"I'll see you at the wedding, my angel," he said softly. "I suppose I'll just watch from the back, as your husband says I can't touch you."

"And you can't."

He frowned at this, but kissed her on the forehead all the same. The fear almost broke her then. And as Hiei came with his sword, he disappeared. It was like he'd never been there at all.

Hiei growled in frustration, sheathing his blade before tending to his crying girlfriend. She buried her face in his chest, letting the sobs come freely.

"Who was _that_?" Botan asked. "That wasn't an ex of yours, was it, Tamara? He was _not_ very friendly-"

"That was him, wasn't it?" Rin asked, looking at her daughter seriously. "That was the man you told me about. The one who found you when you ran away from the Wish House."

"Yeah." Hiei had to reply for her. She was silent now. She just wanted to sit there until the fear was gone. She'd had no idea he could come to her. And now she was surprised that he hadn't earlier.

God, now she just wanted to die. Walter knew where she was. He could show up whenever he wanted to and torment her.

"I'm sorry," the fire demon whispered in her ear. "I know I broke my word to you, Tamara. I'll make it right."

She pulled away from him, astonishment in her eyes. "It wasn't your fault."

He looked at her with eyes that only she knew were filled with regret. "It was. I should have come sooner."

"I'd be crying all the same," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It isn't your fault. I promise."

He wrapped her arms around her, still not feeling much better. "Love the dress," he said with a smirk.

She pulled away again, laughing and wiping her face. "Oh, way to ruin the moment." She got up, and realized she was still in heels when he stood with her. She couldn't help but giggle. And the other girls giggled too, remembering earlier conversation.

Kurama stood there, watching the couple in amazement. They really loved each other. Even though there was no weird demon cord. Hiei had been let in on the lie, and had thanked Kurama for it. Said it would have taken longer than four months to actually like Tamara. A lot longer.

But the fox really did believe that the two belonged together, as odd as they were. A fire apparition and a mixed half-demon. Yes. Odd was the right word to describe the two of them.

* * *

Hiei felt like shit when he got back to the apartment, leaving his mate with the other women so they could finish shopping.

He'd fucked up. He'd fucked everything up, just like he always did. He'd let him touch her again. He'd left her alone and didn't make it in time when she'd been more scared than she'd ever known. Later on she'd never forgive him for it.

She would grow to despise him, just like everyone else did.

He took a flaming fist to the mirror in the bedroom, sending glass all over the place and damaging the wall. He was an idiot. He'd given Walter the opportunity to hurt her again. And he could have. He hadn't been fast enough to help her.

"Don't beat yourself up, Hiei." The fox was in the apartment. "What happened isn't your fault. We weren't prepared for something like that."

"Goddamn it, Kurama, don't you understand?" Hiei shouted, glaring at his friend. "I fucked everything up with that! I gave her my _word_, Kurama! _My word_! I told him I'd _never_ let him touch her again! And then the next thing I know all I can feel is her fear. The same fear I felt when I was in her dreams and reliving that memory with her!"

"No one knew, Hiei. Tamara is safe now. She's going to be fine."

"No, she won't." Fire engulfed Hiei's fist. Black fire. "She's going to hate me for this, Kurama. She's going to hate me and then she'll understand what kind of monster she's marrying."

"Stop." Kurama's brows knitted together. "I've never seen anyone love another person like she loves you, Hiei. And I've never seen you love at all." He sighed. "You act like a totally different person with her. I can tell how you feel about her. And as your friend, I'm telling you that I've never been more proud."

Hiei's eyes went down. "Hn."

"I'm telling you, Hiei. She loves you. She always will." The fox smiled then. "Now, she will be absolutely _furious_ with you when she finds out about that mirror. You might want to clean that up and go get a new one while the sun is up."

Flames gone, Hiei ran a hand through his spiky hair. "You do have a point. I can't afford for her to be any angrier."

"Please. She won't be angry at all. At least not at you. Just tell her how much you love her when she comes home. She'll understand."

Hiei sighed then, sitting down on the bed. "You really think I didn't fuck up, Kurama?"

"I've seen you fuck up, Hiei. With your sister. And you're not fucking up right now. You're doing everything right."

Hiei smirked. "Thanks, Kurama."

He shrugged. "What else are best friends for?"

"Hn. Which is why you're my best man."

The fox's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

* * *

Walter appeared again while the two were making love.

But they didn't know it. He was just watching, wishing that he was the one on top of Tamara giving her those pleasures.

The fire demon was kissing her everywhere now, going down and spreading her legs. Kissing her from her knees and down her thighs and back up to her stomach. Walter wished he could be there, wished she was arching to his touch like that. She hadn't arched like that for him all those years ago. No, it had been quite the opposite. She'd tried to run away. Run far, far away.

Walter could hear Hiei lapping up her juices, Tamara moaning in ecstasy, her body arching and her hands gripping the sheets. It was just amazing to watch her move like that.

He felt his pants tighten slightly, and he bit his lip. No, not here. He would wait until he went home. That poor nurse was still alive, after all. Waiting on his return like a good girl.

She took her mate's hand and sat up, getting into his lap and letting him enter her. It started with them both sitting up, but Tamara eventually took control and he was laying down. Thrusting to her movements and caressing her body as she rode him.

God, she was just amazing. The way her eyes dilated in pleasure when he scratched her sides. Her whole body shivering with each orgasm she felt. Walter watched this for ten minutes, avoiding the temptation to touch himself as he looked at her.

That was when the black fire appeared.

It seemed as though Hiei didn't like to be dominated, at least not for very long. It went around Tamara's wrists and gently put her against the wall. Hiei faced her and entered her again, picking up both of her legs while he stayed on his knees on the bed. His face was buried in her neck, whispering sweet nothings that were making Tamara's cheeks flush with embarrassment.

The fire licked around both of them, not quite burning but it was definitely hot. Walter had been able to feel the heat of the fire demon, who'd left marks on Tamara's thighs. It soon released her hands and let them tangle into the fire demon's hair as she kissed him, cheeks still flushed.

Hiei began to move then, and that was when Walter left. He couldn't see Tamara anymore from that angle. He'd have to go use his imagination at home.

But in five months, he wouldn't have to use his imagination anymore. He'd have her back, finally.

And he'd break her new wings so she could stay home forever.


	29. Chapter Twenty Eight: The Day Before

**Chapter Twenty Eight: The Day Before.**

* * *

"I look like a fatass."

It was the day before her wedding. She was sixteen weeks along in her pregnancy; next week she would be four months along. And she'd only put on five pounds, not having much of a belly. At least she didn't have back fat yet. But she still felt like a fatass.

Maintaining a diet was hard when pregnant, but Tamara was determined to be thin again when she had the baby. She ignored most of her insane cravings until the weekend, and still only then indulged herself once. That was discipline if she knew the meaning of the word. She was going so far as to doing workouts that were safe for the baby.

"You look fine," Keiko said, watching the other woman rub her belly through her dress. "I promise."

"I'm fat and pregnant and the photographer is on his way and I look like shit." That had been a mouthful.

Her hair was done up wonderfully, though. She'd finally gotten that straightening treatment so it could be more manageable. Although she'd put a few curls in it today, it would be extremely straight when she washed it again.

"Don't be like that," Keiko told her. "You look beautiful, Tamara. And I know Hiei will think so when he gets here."

* * *

"I look _fucking_ ridiculous."

Hiei hated suits. He really did. He just didn't look right in them at all. But Western weddings _were_ the fad, as he'd heard Keiko telling Tamara. Koenma had given him two ogre photographers who Tamara had approved of. And pictures pissed the fire demon off more than suits.

"Relax, Hiei," Kurama said, straightening his collar. He, Yusuke, and Kuwabara were there at the fox's house trying on their suits for final fittings.

"Hn. Please. I'll never hear the end of this." He adjusted himself in the mirror. At least he didn't have to wear a tie. But the red rose on his jacket annoyed him. Damn Kurama and his offer to handle the flowers. Even if it had saved Hiei quite a bit of money.

He could tell that Tamara was in a bad mood as well. She felt awful. Then again, she always did these days. Seemed the baby made her sick a lot. Even though she was down to two cigarettes a day and had stopped drinking altogether, she was still often sick. Hopefully that wouldn't last too much longer.

"Hiei, nice suit," Yusuke said as he walked in, messing with his tie. "You clean up well for a ruthless demon."

"Hah!" Kuwabara's voice was like nails on a chalkboard to Hiei. "Tamara's turned him into nothing but a harmless pipsqueak. He's no trouble to anyone."

"I just have to wait until _after_ my wedding to kill you, Kuwabara," the fire demon said with a smirk. "I promised Tamara that I'd let you see us get married first. That way you could die happy."

He didn't hear anything in response. Good. "Relax, Kuwabara." Yusuke grinned at his statement. "It isn't every day we get to go to a dwarf's wedding."

"Shut the hell up," Hiei growled. "It was my idea to get married in the first pace. I just can't believe how huge this is going to be."

"Your wedding will be small, Hiei," Kurama told him. "Not that many people are going. Just the group, and Koenma. Her mother, stepfather, and siblings. Oh, my parents as well. Yusuke's mother will be there, if she can remember. Mizu and Hisao, with their dates."

"Hn. Way too many people."

"Didn't you invite someone?"

"I did. I invited the leader of that bandit group I used to run with, if he's still alive. And Mukuro."

The fox's emerald eyes widened. "Why on earth would you do that?" he asked. "Are you trying to get Tamara killed?"

"Hn. Mukuro and I weren't lovers, Kurama. She had an infatuation with me because we had a lot in common."

"Do you honestly expect her to be over that?"

"She's not a child. And it matters not to me if she makes it. There are plenty of people already."

"Who else did Tamara invite? It's not like you know many people."

"She has many friends at work," Hiei replied, "customers and coworkers alike. She talks to them on the phone and even hangs out with them."

"And what of that man in the dress store? The one in the trench coat?"

Hiei scowled at his reflection in the mirror. "If he makes a scene, I'll kill him."

"He can't force Tamara back into the Otherworld. She told us that herself."

"No, but she freezes up at the sight of him. He could hurt her. She's too afraid of him." He paused. "It's totally understandable. She just found out that the man who'd saved her life was the one who'd really caused her all that pain. She's got a problem now that's going to take some time for her to recover."

Kurama nodded in response. "Well, we'll all try to be on our guard then."

"Hn." He sighed. He'd get some pictures taken at the warehouse before meeting up with Tamara for the couple's photos. It was turning into a long afternoon.

* * *

"Okay. I can't find my other shoe."

Now Tamara was just angry. She looked around her new apartment desperately. They'd found a two-bedroom next to Keiko's place, and jumped at the opportunity. Bigger pace, better water, bigger bathroom. Yep. Wonderful.

Except the fact that Tamara could not find her fucking shoe. Life was peachy.

"Tamara, it's in the living room," Keiko called. Tamara stood up. How the hell had that happened?

The ogre with the camera laughed, and Tamara glared at him. This was not funny. She was way too stressed out about this. And she still had pictures to take. God, a cigarette would be great.

* * *

A few minutes later, Tamara was happy she had a balcony to smoke on. Climbing out onto a fire escape would be hell in this dress.

The ogre snapped a photo, and she smirked. "Make sure that doesn't show up on anything important," she told him, flicking her ashes. In her defense, it was her first one of the whole day.

Hiei was more frustrated that she was, Tamara could tell. And he was embarrassed. He didn't like his outfit, she guessed. Oh well. He'd picked it out and even paid for it.

She did like the colors of the wedding, though. Cream, red and black. It was quite classy. The wedding was outdoors, and the moon cycle was on full. She would be married in April, under the moonlight. And she loved the idea. Everything was going well. Roses were red and white. Her bouquet was red, naturally, to match the tiny roses in her hair.

She sighed. She wasn't sure how this whole thing would work out. She was praying for the best.

And praying that Walter wouldn't do anything stupid.

She smiled at him when she noticed him and Kurama walking down the street. He had his jacket casually slung over his shoulder, bored look on his face as usual. The ogre made sure to take a picture of that one, but she didn't notice.

She loved how the whole world melted away when they made eye contact. Nothing else existed except them and what they had. Her day suddenly became much, much better now that she saw him.

He smirked slightly when he felt the happiness come from her. He loved that she loved to see him.

He kissed her when he made it, almost letting his jacket fall to the ground. She rolled her eyes and pointed to one of the large iron gates. "I really want a picture with that," she said, still smiling. "Hope you're having a better day than I am."

"Hn." He almost-smiled at her. "Whatever you want. And I highly doubt it."

They started walking and she shook her head. "Try morning sickness and makeup."

"Try your best friends calling you a dwarf."

They were holding hands as they walked. More pictures were being taken that they weren't aware of. "Oh, yeah? Well try looking like a fatass in your absolute favorite dress."

He stopped walking then, raising an eyebrow. She stopped a couple steps ahead, and gave him the same look. "What?" she asked.

"Don't say that about yourself," he said seriously. "You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my entire life."

She laughed. "Don't be dumb, Hiei. I appreciate the compliment, but there's no way."

He grabbed her face with both hands. She blushed a little. "I'm serious, Tamara," he said. "You are the _most_ beautiful woman I've ever seen."

Keiko and Kurama both were holding their breath. The ogres were no longer taking pictures, but were just watching. Keiko turned and put her finger over her lips when she saw Yusuke and Kuwabara coming.

They snuck along beside the others, and froze when they saw the young couple before them.

"What are they doing?" Yusuke whispered.

"Shut up," Keiko said in reply, voice lower than that. "They're in their own zone, Yusuke," the fox said. "They've lost all awareness of everything else. Just watch."

"This is stupid," Kuwabara said aloud, and Keiko shushed him.

"All right, Hiei, I understand," she said, reaching up to touch one of his hands. "Calm down, man. We're both tired. Let's get this done so we can grab dinner."

"Tamara, I never properly proposed to you, and there was a certain way I wanted to do it." Kuwabara honestly thought that this was the most he'd ever seen Hiei talk at all. "It only started with the fact that you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. You're even more than that, Tamara. You're smart and intelligent. You're just the right amount of crazy, too." He was genuinely smiling now. "And I just want you to know that you are absolutely everything to me, and I love you." The ginger's eyes widened. Was Hiei serious right now? "And I'm the proudest demon in the universe to know that tomorrow you're going to not only be my mate but my wife as well. I'll never again know honor like this."

He kissed her then, and Tamara's heart leapt into her throat. A tear streaming down her face, she wrapped his arms around his neck, feeling her lips catch the fire of her mate's passion. She'd never know love like this. Never again in her life would she experience anything like this. He was too wonderful. Perfect.

"I love you," she told him quietly, head on his shoulder. "You'll never know how much I love you, Hiei. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You really are."

"Even though I've already messed up?" His arms were around her. He was holding her tight.

"You never messed up, not once. There's nothing you could do to mess this up."

"Hn. Promise?" He was still smiling, even though she couldn't see it.

She had another tear. "Promise."


	30. Chapter Twenty Nine: Wedding

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Wedding.**

* * *

God, the day was going perfect.

Except that she didn't get to have sex last night, seeing as the groom isn't supposed to see the bride the day of the wedding. She thought that was stupid. Or maybe she just wanted to get laid. Who knew?

Her usual nausea swept over her early, going so far as waking her up a whole hour earlier than she was supposed to. She ran into the bathroom and barely made it to the toilet to puke. Ugh, there went dinner. And her midnight snack from the night before.

"Gah! I hate this!" she cried aloud after a few minutes of throwing up. "When will this be over?"

She hoped Hiei wasn't getting sick, too. Sometimes that happened. It wasn't like she meant for it to, but it just did. Wasn't her fault he had a weak stomach.

She had to double-check the date, making sure it really was Friday and not Wednesday. Yeah. She was getting married on a Friday night. That was cool. At least she didn't have work on the busiest night of the week. Even if Mizu had offered to let her have the reception in the lower floor, with a bar and a dance floor. He'd taken the time to close the bar down and turn it into a ballroom for her. Tamara was just disappointed that she could only have one glass of her favorite wine tonight.

* * *

The hot water felt amazing on Hiei's skin.

It was way too early for other people to be awake, but he was an early riser. And he wanted nothing more than a shower and something to eat. If he could have that, the day would be perfect.

He got a little dizzy. Ugh. Not this again. He took a deep breath. _Not the damned morning sickness, Tamara_, the thought. _When will this shit be over?_

His hand went to his abdomen for a moment, and he took another deep breath. He hated throwing up. He really hated throwing up. And Tamara was always the source of his vomiting as of late. First with that little display of her appetite, and now with her pregnancy.

He tried to repress it, and it helped a little bit. When he finally relaxed, and still suppressing what she was feeing, the bile rose in his throat suddenly, and he could not swallow it back down.

He tripped over the bottom of the shower trying to get out, but he still made it to the toilet. He emptied his stomach loudly, tears coming to his eyes. He was pretty sure that he felt a tear in his Jagan Eye, too. And that was impossible.

When he flushed the toilet, he got back into the shower. Ugh. He had to bathe again after that horrible feeling. Unfortunately, it hit again about two minutes later. This time he hit his head on the toilet seat before he made it. _Shit_. Now he'd have a mess to clean up in Kurama's bathroom.

* * *

She ran a hot bath, wondering how Hiei was doing at Kurama's house. Knowing the fire demon, he was probably already up and getting ready to go. And the wedding wasn't until the evening. Tamara didn't think anyone realized that she had wanted to relax during the day and that's why she'd wanted it at night. So that she could have a chill day for once.

Alone. Which felt strange. She wasn't used to being alone. But sometimes it was good to be that way.

She stared at her reflection in the water, wondering about the Otherworld again. She'd told Alessa to get her ass to the wedding. She'd also told Pyramid Head to come, too, saying that demons were going to be there so he'd fit right in. She doubted that they show up, though. Not with Walter coming as well.

Walter. Walter was coming to her wedding. And surely he was going to ruin everything. He always did.

A tear fell into her bath water. Now that the nausea was gone, there was nothing else to blame her bad mood on. She was always feeling sad, or angry. And it was because of Walter showing up that day.

He'd had no right to do that. She was still embarrassed about it. As if it wasn't bad enough that what little sanity she had was almost gone with his presence, she was embarrassed. He'd made a scene in front of anyone. They hadn't made a big deal. Well, Hiei had, but that was how Hiei was. She wasn't sure what had happened, but when she'd come home he'd had a new mirror hanging in her bedroom. Which meant he probably broke the old one. The hole in her wall hadn't been something to look at either. In fact, it had pissed her off just a little bit. And she actually paid for that damage.

"God, what am I going to do if he shows up at my wedding?" she asked aloud as she dipped her hair down into the water. "I'm not wearing a bulletproof vest, and neither is anyone else. Fuck that."

_You need to relax._

She sat up. "Pyramid Head?" she asked aloud, looking around her new bathroom. "Where the hell are you?"

_Look down, Tamara._

She looked down and saw her best friend's reflection instead of her own. She quickly covered up her breasts. "Dude! Why the hell are you in there?"

_It's nothing I've never seen before, _dude_._

"Don't make fun of the way I talk."

_Don't call me "dude" and we've got a deal._

"'Kay."

_Anyway, you need to relax. Tonight is going to go well, I promise._

She sighed softly. "Yeah, about that. Are you going to be there?"

_Of course I am. But you won't recognize me._

She smiled then. "You're really going to come?"

_The Holy Mother is letting me come. But she will be watching from her safe place, as always._

"And Walter?"

_The Assumption is not to leave either Otherworld for a little while for interfering with your affairs_.

She grinned happily, uncovering herself and reaching for her shampoo. "You know, my friend, you've made my day so much better with just that statement."

_This day should be the best day of your life._

"It's not."

_Oh? Then what has been the best day of your life so far?_

She started scrubbing her hair vigorously. "On the real?"

_If that's what you want to call it, yes. On the real._

"You make yourself sound old when you talk like that."

_Shut up._

"The best day of my life was when I met Hiei." She went down to rinse, bubbles forming in the water and distorting the bogeyman's image slightly.

_You mean when he tried to attack you as soon as he saw you?_

She laughed. "Yeah. Thank god you helped me train with my reflexes."

_You could probably catch a bullet now, if you wanted to._

"I'm not sure if that's in my demonic nature, but I'll try it later. Like, tomorrow or something."

She continued talking to her friend throughout her bath, discussing the wedding and what time he needed to be there and what to wear to such an occasion. He even had to ask what kind of last name Tamara would be taking.

"Well, in the human world, Hiei uses the last name Jaganshi."

_Jaganshi? Tamara Jaganshi?_

"Calm down. I like it."

_You would. You've always been strange._

"Says the one who carries a hunk of steel on his head."

_I don't have a real head. That's not my fault._

"You make a valid point, my friend. And it's okay. Promise."

She shooed him away when she started to shave. That was just too weird for her. And she had to hurry up and get a move on. Food sounded too good for her. And then maybe a cigarette, if she was up to it.

* * *

The day dragged on until the late afternoon. Hiei was in the rose gardens outside the city, a supposed sacred ground in the human world. There were a lot of roses around the place, that was for sure. Statues of angels, nude women and other mythical beings all over the place. Everything was set up in the center, and the reception would be off to the side. Tables and chairs were set up, with black and red tablecloths.

It was all quite nice, but Hiei hated the formal events. Especially when he would be the center of attention. He slung his jacket over his shoulder, rose and ring in his pocket. Where the hell was Kurama? Hiei needed to give him Tamara's ring before the ceremony.

Apparently Tamara had his ring. She'd bought it with her money, and hadn't shown it to him yet. Hiei sighed. He wasn't ever sure what to expect with that woman. Hopefully nothing more embarrassing on his part. Being in a suit in front of a crowd was bad enough.

When Kurama did show up, he began pushing Hiei away toward the other side of the garden. He'd ridden with Tamara, and now she was going to the building nearby to get ready. And Hiei wasn't allowed to see her until the ceremony began.

"So were you nervous this morning?" Kurama asked as they walked. "I heard you vomit. Twice. And I'm pretty sure you hit your head on something."

"Well, Kurama," Hiei began, "if you ever mark someone as your mate, I hope you're ready to firsthand understand what it means to feel everything that they feel, all the time. And that includes morning sickness."

"Do you have the ring?" Was Kurama really ignoring all that? Or did he just realize what kind of hell he was going to go through someday?

"Hn." Hiei reached into his pants pocket, and held the ring there for a moment. Today was the day. All he had to do was say his vows and say "I do" and…

Wait. Vows? Shit.

"Kurama, I have a small problem," he told his friend, making their way to the edges of the garden. "Well, to you it might be huge."

The fox raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What? Too many people? I'm telling you that's not a problem."

"No, that's not it at all."

"Well, out with it then, Hiei. So I can help you out."

"Hn." He handed the ring to Kurama. "I never came up with any wedding vows."

"What the hell, Hiei?"

* * *

"Here, Keiko, this is a better color for you." Tamara handed the woman a blush compact. She was trying to get her makeup done, as well as everyone else's. Her hair was in curlers, and the woman doing her hair would not shut up about something. God, if she'd needed a cigarette after this morning she really needed one now. And she still hadn't had one.

Her mother was fretting over something insane. All the chit-chat was driving her crazy. As soon as her hair was done she was getting a cigarette whether they liked it or not. At least it would be before she put on her lipstick or her dress.

She knew poor Mikoto didn't know what to do. And what was worse, he was probably hanging out with the guys. Oh, god, this wouldn't be good for either of them.

"Botan, wait, use this mascara!" _Okay, five more minutes, and then the stylist can finish your hair while you finish your own makeup_, she told herself. _Then you can get a snack and a cigarette, and then we can get to the wedding._

"Hey, Tamara, where are your vows?" Yukina asked, finishing her makeup perfectly on her own. Not that she needed a lot of it. "The pastor told me to tell you he'd need them for the final thing."

"Wait, what?" she asked. Vows? Shit, she'd forgotten all about it. "Uh, tell him that I'm going to wing it."

"What?" Rin asked.

"Yep. That's how this is gonna work."

* * *

Mikoto moved his hair out of his eyes as he walked to Kurama and Hiei, who were near the edges of the rose garden. He had absolutely nothing to do, and Kuwabara got on his nerves. Yusuke was no help, threatening to beat the hell out of him. Maybe the other two in the group had a little more common sense.

"Well, maybe you should just come up with something. Sometimes it's better that way." The redhead was adjusting his tie. "Just tell her something you know she'll love to hear."

"Hn. If it were that easy I'd do it." The fire demon closed his eyes. "Not everything I tell her is appropriate for outside ears."

"Maybe you should try to censor yourself about all that then," Mikoto said as he came up to them. "Save dirty talk for the bedroom."

Hiei's eyes opened and his crimson gaze flowed over to his future brother-in-law. "How does Tamara look?" he asked.

"Honestly, I've only seen her makeup. Not her hair or the final look on the dress."

"Surely she looks similar to yesterday."

"Yeah, but mom says she's going to look like a totally different person when she walks down that aisle. But I don't know what that means."

"Well, we should go check on Tamara, shouldn't we?" Kurama asked the boy, and started to walk away as he grabbed the boy's arm. "Hiei has some last minute thinking to do."

"About what?"

"Oh, we will see when the ceremony starts," Kurama said with a laugh. "Now let's go check on the girls. Surely Tamara will want us to run to the store for a snack or something."

"She's hungry _and_ she wants her one cigarette of the day," Hiei called behind them, leaning against the tree. "Get her whatever she wants. Pretty sure she's craving something that involves cheese."

"Good job, Hiei. We'll tell her you got it for her."

As soon as they were out of the gardens and heading to the store Kurama glanced at Mikoto. "Hiei didn't come up with any vows. He's got to come up with something to say in less than two hours."

Mikoto raised an eyebrow. "Are you serious?" he asked. "What is he going to do?"

"I have no idea. Let's just hope for the best."

Mikoto nodded. Great. So his sister's fiancé had nothing to say to her at the alter. Wonderful.

* * *

The moon hung high above the rose gardens. There were few torches lit to light the way, and many candles and more roses at the alter. It was the picture of Tamara's dreams.

Tamara looked at Mikoto as she exited the room. She was ready. Her heart was in her throat, but she was ready. Ready to face family and friends and her soon to be husband and speak publicly. Wow. She wished that she'd had Yusuke's public speaking skills from the Dark Tournament (Koenma had lent her the footage of the group's first round of working for Spirit World, and she'd loved it).

"Wait, Tamara," Rin called. Tamara turned around to see her mother coming toward her, veil in her hands. Tamara absently reached upward and laughed a little, realizing that she hadn't put the veil on her head.

Her mom had tears in her eyes when she looked at Tamara.

"Hey, Rin, I don't need to cry right now," Tamara said with a laugh. "Save it for after the ceremony, okay?"

"I never thought I'd be able to see my first daughter get married." she whispered, smiling. But she was still crying. "I love you, baby."

She hugged Rin, holding back tears. "I love you too, mom."

She heard Rin's breath hitch. Tamara had only called her mom once before, on the first day they'd met.

Rin put the veil on Tamara and wished her good luck. She nodded and took her place beside Mikoto, taking a few deep breaths. She really was nervous. She wondered if everyone would stare at her. She wondered what they would say. Hell, she wondered if any of the people she'd even invited had shown up. But the night air felt right. Everything felt like it was going to go well.

Her bridesmaids went out before her, naturally. Kurama and Keiko first, Keiko in a classy strapless black dress. They were followed by Yusuke and Shizuru. Shizuru looked quite classy when she dressed like a woman. And they'd gushed at this for over an hour. Kuwabara was quite lucky that Hiei had allowed him to escort Yukina. God, Yukina did look good, though. Black did suit her. Maybe it ran in the family.

The music started, and everyone stood from their black chairs. Tamara took a deep breath and smiled slightly, her younger brother leading the way.

Hiei, who had been looking bored standing there for some time, looked absolutely shocked. Tamara's mother had been right. She looked totally different from yesterday. Even more beautiful than she had been. Hiei felt his demon heartbeat for the first time in awhile. He got nervous. He was going to marry this woman. And they were going to have a child together.

Mikoto lifted the veil from in front of Tamara's face, and nodded to Hiei. He had a wide smile across his face. He was excited for them. Even though he hadn't known Tamara for very long, he'd grown to love his sister very much. Hell, his whole family had grown to love her, even his dad who wasn't even Tamara's real father.

The couple made eye contact, and Tamara's smile grew. Hiei's eyes were wide, but he soon took his mate's hand and smirked, eyes closing for a moment. He was ready.

The chill breeze blew no candle out, but it gave Tamara goosebumps. April night, full moon. Yeah, this was the perfect time. Night time was always her favorite, anyway.

The minister cleared his voice. Tamara once again thanked Alessa that he'd agreed to a non-religious ceremony. "We are gathered here on this beautiful day for love," he began. "Marriage is the unification of two people vowing to love each other and be together for the rest of their lives. It is pledging faithfulness, trust, and the sharing of strengths. Today we shall see the unification of Tamara Itou and Hiei Jaganshi."

Tamara blinked, her eyes not looking away from Hiei's. His smirk grew. "Now, then, I believe that the couple has written their own vows. Hiei," he continued, then looked to the fire demon.

Hiei didn't hesitate: "Tamara Itou, you are the first person to show me what it is like to feel love." He was serious now. "Before you, I'd never known what it was like to love someone or to even be loved by another. You give me a confidence that I'd never had on the battlefield." He sighed. Tamara blinked back tears. "I not only vow to be faithful to you and to trust you, but I vow to protect you. I vow to be there whenever you need me, and I vow to be there for our future children." His eyes flashed quickly to her lower stomach. "And I vow to not only love you for the rest of my days in this world, but to love you for the rest of eternity, for the way I feel about you is beyond life and death."

She swore she heard her mother crying. Pictures were being taken. "Tamara," the man said, smiling softly at the woman. "You may say your vows now."

"Hiei," she began, and then hesitated for just a second. "Without you, this world wouldn't be near as exciting. You've shown me more in the past seven months than I've seen in my whole lifetime. You've shown me what love really is, and what it really means." She squeezed his hand. "I've never loved anyone else the way I love you, and I vow to never love like this again. I vow to give you strength when you need it. I vow to help you, even though you're too stubborn to accept it." A few laughs from behind Hiei, and a few in the audience as well. Hiei blushed. "I vow to be with you always, even though sometimes I'm not there. And I vow to love you, with everything I am, until there's nothing left on this earth."

Kurama was smiling at her. Yusuke was, too. She was pretty sure Kuwabara was wiping a tear from his eye. She heard sniffles from behind her. Were weddings this big of a deal around here?

"The rings, please," the minister said, motioning for Kurama and Keiko to come forward. They did as they were told, and moved back to their places after giving the rings to the couple. Hiei and Tamara faced each other again, and Hiei took her left hand, poised to push the dragon ring on her finger.

"With this ring," Hiei said, loudly enough for everyone to hear, "I promise to hold you, help you, be with you in sickness and in health, beyond death, until the universe tears us apart."

He pushed the ring down her finger slowly, and he held her hand for a few seconds before letting go. She took his left hand, poised to do the same as he was.

Hiei eyed his ring curiously. It was black metal. A shining black metal, and there were engravings in it. Hiei could hardly read it now, but he'd get a closer look at it later.

"With this ring," Tamara repeated. "I promise to hold you, help you, be with you in sickness and in health, beyond death, until the universe tears us apart."

Only a certain amount of people knew what these statements meant. Tamara was to go back to the Otherworld in two months. She wouldn't be gone for long, but she was the only one who knew that. And she couldn't tell anyone else. Not yet.

"Does anyone have any objections to this?" the old man asked, looking around at the crowd. Tamara looked around, too. There were a lot of people, some she did and did not know. And no one said a word. Everyone was smiling at her. Her mother was crying, too, on her husband's shoulder. Mikoto gave her a thumbs up.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, Hiei and Tamara, husband and wife." The man was smiling broadly now. "Hiei, you may kiss your bride."

It was less than half a second after the man said it that Hiei had Tamara pulled against him, fiery lips pressed to hers. Tamara almost lost her bouquet wrapping her arms around him. Everyone clapped. More pictures were taken. Hiei's hands went to her face, and that's when she let a tear fall. She was married. Married on both Demon and Living World terms. Married to the most wonderful man in the universe.

Hiei didn't hesitate to pick her up and carry her, either, down the aisle again. She laughed as she did this, and apparently the expression on her face had just encouraged their guests to laugh and clap more. Tamara threw her bouquet halfway down, not caring to know who caught it, so she could wrap her arms around her mate and husband. She'd find out at the reception who caught it.

Her stomach growled, and she blushed when she looked up at Hiei. He was smiling a smile that only she knew. A smile that was rarely seen by anyone but her.

"I love you," she said when he put her down beside the limo Mizu had rented for them. She smiled at him.

"Hn," he said, smile becoming a smirk. "I love you, too, Tamara. More than you'll ever know."

Hiei was tackled down by Yusuke, who was bursting with happiness. Kurama shook Hiei's hand in congratulations, also smiling. Tamara got hugs from a lot of people that she considered her friends and her coworkers. Her mother hugged her a little too tight, and she'd almost choked. Mikoto had hugged her like that, too, and merely shook the fire demon's hand. Rin took down Hiei with a hug. A hug that he had no idea how to react to. At all.

They all laughed then, talking for a few minutes before getting in their cars to head toward the Black Dragon. Hiei held the door open for Tamara, getting in after her.

"This is a good wedding gift," Tamara said, looking around at the inside of the limousine. The car was bumping with her favorite music, the windows tinted. The driver smiled at her and slid that little window shut. They were about twenty minutes away from the Black Dragon. Maybe he thought they wanted privacy.

They weren't going to have sex, and they both knew that when the window closed. The two didn't have time to do all the things they wanted to do to each other. They held hands, Hiei's jacket off and in the other seat while Tamara leaned on his shoulder. She really needed a nap.

"Well, this was interesting," she said. "At least we weren't standing there for an hour like I thought we would be."

"Hn." Hiei kissed her forehead. "It doesn't matter. I would have stood there forever if you'd asked me to."

She squeezed his hand. "I know you would have, Hiei."

* * *

The food was delicious, although Tamara wanted more cheese. Cheese just seemed like what she wanted today. And the snack Hiei had sent her hadn't been enough. At least she got what she wanted, though.

Everyone was chatting and eating. Tamara and Hiei sat together, with their friends on either side of them. According to some kind of stupid tradition, no one could really dance until after the bride and the groom had their first dance together. And that's what scared Tamara. Hiei couldn't dance. At least, he'd said he couldn't. And they weren't going to dance until after Kurama had given them their toast. Which was cool.

As if on a cue, Kurama tinked his glass and stood, grabbing everyone's attention. Was he psychic too?

"Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you're all having a wonderful night," the fox began. "And I hope you all enjoyed watching our friends Tamara and Hiei get married under the full moon."

He smiled toward the two before facing the crowd again. "Hiei came up to me while we were… working a few months ago," he said. Tamara silently thanked him for remembering that there were humans here that had no idea about demons or anything like that. "He had a little box in his hand, and inside of it was the ring that's on Tamara's finger right now." He laughed a little. "I was so excited for my friend that I couldn't control myself. I actually hugged him, as a close friend, and he actually let me."

There was a laugh from the other guests. But Tamara noticed that someone wasn't laughing. An orange-haired woman who was dressed strangely, and had a cloth over the right side of her face. An eyeglass as well. Tamara raised an eyebrow, focusing.

She was like Yusuke. A mazuku. And she was strong. Too strong for her own good, perhaps.

This was the woman Hiei had been with before her.

"Hiei and I have been through a lot together," Kurama continued, seemingly oblivious to the other demon's presence. "We've known each other for a long time, and we've helped each other out of some tight spots."

"Hn." Hiei was quiet. Surely he'd noticed her, too?

"And in all the years I've known Hiei, I've never seen him this happy. I could tell that these two needed to be together from the moment they met."

"Yeah, even though they fought like kids all the time," Yusuke interrupted.

"This is true, Yusuke, they used to dislike each other very much," Kurama said. "But in the end they realized that they belong together. And I have never seen a more perfect couple in my life." He was looking at his best friend now, smiling softly at him. "Hiei, my friend, I wish you and Tamara all the best, and pray that your lives are long and prosperous. You've been blessed with a wonderful gift, the both of you. And I hope you never let go."

They both nodded in thanks while everyone applauded. The two were holding hands, but she knew that one person wasn't clapping. That goddamn mazuku. Who the hell was she, anyway?

The women made eye contact, and Tamara felt all the memories. Had this strange woman really opened her mind up to her ex's new mate?

She'd really loved him. And even though he'd been close to her, he never showed her any type of mutual feeling. It was more like his relationship with Yukina. Except that she'd been given the very tear stone gem she was wearing right now. She'd given it back, knowing that Hiei wouldn't be hers in the end.

Tamara smirked, and squeezed her lover's hand. He knew she was looking. And he quite possibly knew that Tamara was looking back.

"Hn. Be good, Tamara," he said, glancing over at her. "No need to make a scene. She certainly has no plans to make one."

"Whatever," Tamara replied. She wasn't planning on making a scene. But she had to flaunt what she had. It was only in her nature. How she was taught in the Otherworld, besides survival.

They took themselves to the dance floor then, and it didn't take long before everyone was watching, and then joining in themselves. Tamara laughed throughout the whole song(though she wasn't sure if it was because the song was actually funny or because she was nervous by being watched by so many people with a man who's never danced in his life), wondering how on earth she and Hiei had picked this as their song. They'd just told Mizu that it was the song to play, seeing as Tamara and Hiei had never even thought about what their song really was.

_I don't quite know how to say  
How I feel  
Those three words are said too much  
But not enough_

The song really was sweet, though. But soon enough the band was playing better music that people could get down to. Tamara was having a time trying to get Hiei to move around more, wishing she could get him drunk so that he could go ham on the dance floor.

When there was another slower song, and Tamara still wanted to dance, Hiei felt a tap on his shoulder. "May I cut in on this dance, Hiei?"

He knew that voice. A voice heard in Tamara's dreams, by the one she claimed as her friend. The fire demon turned around and raised an eyebrow.

The man had the same masculine voice, but it couldn't have been him. The bogeyman didn't have a head, and this man did. A shaved one. His facial hair was neat and trimmed up. He had piercing brown eyes. There was no way.

"And you are?" he asked.

"You were just thinking that you recognize my voice. I'd like to think that I fit in better without a hunk of steel on my shoulders."

Tamara hugged the tall man, smiling broadly. "Pyramid Head! Wow, I didn't expect you to be able to clean up so well."

"Hey, kid, I don't live to be dirty."

"Well, you live a very dirty lifestyle."

"Ha!" The man was smiling down at her. "You live that life, too, you know. Now, as I was saying…"

"Hn. Not every day that Tamara gets to see her best friend. And I was wanting some more wine anyway."

Tamara began her dance with the bogeyman. He was actually quite good, and that surprised her. They chit-chatted for a little while, mainly about the wedding and Tamara's new apartment.

"You know you only have two months left before you come home," he said when the song was over. It was almost midnight. People were starting to get tired. And Tamara was included in that one.

"Yes, I know," she said. "But you know I'll be coming back here after everything is over."

"This is true," he replied. "But those seven days in the Otherworld will not be in your favor, Tamara. The Assumption is growing stronger. He's gathering more sacrifices. It's almost done."

"Well, he won't make it. We've all heard about Alessa's vision."

"Have you told Hiei?"

"No, I was told that I couldn't tell anyone about it. I'm sticking to that. God knows I'll be under some serious punishment when I get back."

"I just want you to enjoy yourself while you can. But please come back prepared. There's nothing worse than Walter right now. He's lost his mind, I think."

They both laughed, knowing that Walter Sullivan had lost his mind long before he'd died and come back as a ghost in the Otherworld.

* * *

While Tamara was dancing with her friend, Hiei did go and get himself another glass of wine. Maybe if he got buzzed Tamara would feel it and maybe feel a little better. Then again, it could just make her sick or want to smoke. And she was doing such a good job at quitting.

Mukuro walked over to him slowly. He'd seen her coming before she'd left her seat.

"She's a beautiful girl, Hiei," she said. "But she doesn't seem right for you."

"Hn," he replied. "Thank you. She's perfect in every way."

"I doubt she's perfect."

"She understands me, Mukuro."

"I understood you, too, Hiei. Better than anyone in the world."

Hiei sighed. He wasn't going to let his night be ruined. "I would have come back for you, but I wasn't interested in you romantically. Granted you were very close to me."

"I know. That's why I gave the tear gem back."

"It's Yukina's that I wear now. I'm going to have to get one for Tamara to call her own."

"Why would you cry a single tear to give her anything?"

Hiei looked up at the woman with a glare. He had to control himself; there were way too many people around to do anything stupid. "Because I _love_ her, Mukuro. I've never loved anyone or anything before, and she showed love to me."

"You could have loved me."

He sighed. "Look, as awful as I feel about what happened between us, there's nothing either of us can do about it. Be happy for us. Move on, like I did."

It was then that he chose to walk away. And all the guilt he felt for what he did to Mukuro was gone. And if she was smart, she wouldn't follow.

She didn't. She left shortly afterward, leaving her gift behind. The fire demon didn't care. He was fine with her going. Seemed she made Tamara uncomfortable, anyway.


	31. Chapter Thirty: Skip for Smut

**Chapter Thirty: Skip for Smut.**

* * *

**Hey, guys! Hope you all are enjoying this story as much as I am. Now, this is another chapter that is NOTHING but smut. SKIP if you don't want all this citrusy, dirty stuff going through your head. Honestly, I scared myself a little with the whole "Hie's heat" thing. Was kinda weird.**

**Anyway, please enjoy, R&R! Disclaimers are naturally in my profile so I don't have to type them in all the time!**

* * *

Tamara decided to go to sleep when they made it to the hotel at two in the morning, and said sex would come later. She was too tired to have sex with Hiei. And the way Hiei had been looking at her when he'd helped her undress, she knew he had something planned. She just wasn't sure what.

* * *

When she woke up the next evening, it was only because of the late afternoon sun in her eyes. And that frustrated her. Other than that, it was totally dark in the room. At least, she'd thought so until she saw all the candles that were now lit.

Damn, Hiei was at it again. She got up and saw another rose bath waiting, candles illuminating the bathroom. Oh, this was going to be a perfect evening.

* * *

She stayed in the hot bath for about an hour, knowing the sun was going to go down soon. She was just happy it was Saturday night instead of a Wednesday. Then she'd have to wait in order to have sex. And that wasn't fun.

When she finally got out, wearing a towel and bathrobe, dinner was hot on the table in the bedroom. Now that hadn't been there before. Hiei was there, too, lying back on the bed with hands behind his head. His eyes were closed, but she saw that he was awake. She sat down to eat, not saying anything at first.

After a few bites of some delicious chicken, she finally asked, "What are we doing tonight, Hiei?"

"Hn." He opened his eyes and looked at her, crimson gaze flickering. "You've been sleeping all day, so we're not leaving until probably tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes. I'd expected for us to be finished by now, but I wanted you to be well rested."

Her eyes widened. What kind of crazy shit did the fire demon have up his sleeve? "You gonna eat?" she asked after a few minutes. "It's really good."

"I have plenty of energy already."

"Hm. Right."

Hiei shot her a look that screamed "don't steal my thing." She just rolled her eyes. "So, anyway, that doesn't answer my question," she continued. "What are we doing tonight?"

He smirked slightly at her, and closed his eyes again. "Finish eating, smoke your cigarette, and come here."

"Where do I smoke?"

"There's a balcony door by the kitchen. It's a nice view, if you'd like to watch the sunset."

"Would you watch it with me?"

His eyes snapped open and his crimson gaze locked on his mate. She was smiling softly at him, taking another bite of the chicken into her mouth.

He looked away for a moment, and then closed his eyes again. She noticed his cheeks darkening. "No, I think that I'm going to wait here for you tonight."

She raised an eyebrow. Now that was a rejection that she wasn't used to. "What do you have up your sleeve, Jagan Master?" she asked.

"Hn."

"Whatever."

She finished her food quickly and got dressed, ready to get that one cigarette of the day that she could have. It was amazing how she was so close to quitting without medication or a patch. She liked to think that in the next two weeks she'd be down to only two or three puffs a day, and maybe then a puff a week. And then it would be over.

At least, it would be over until the baby was born. Tamara did not want to quit smoking. She really didn't care if she got the cancer or breathing problems. Smoking helped with her anger issues. Made her relax. And they were good as hell after food or sex, too.

The sun seemed to take forever to go down. Tamara watched it with little interest, taking in the view of the city they were vacationing in. Seemed to have a nice nightlife. Maybe that's why they were going to stay until Thursday afternoon. Maybe she could feed on one of the unsuspecting morons, keep the cops off her back at home. They'd never catch her, but it was getting harder for her to find human victims.

And Hiei didn't want her feeding from demons anymore.

When she came back inside, she got a glass of water before going back into the bedroom. Hiei was under the comforter now, gazing at her with a blank expression on his face.

"Come here." He held out a hand, smirk barely appearing on his face and his eyes darkening. What was he doing?

She set the glass down on the table and complied, crawling across the bed and placing her hand in his. He pulled her to him and kissed her forehead.

"I have something to tell you," he said.

"Okay, shoot," she replied, raising an eyebrow.

"You're going to think I'm weird for this."

"I already think you're weird." She was smirking. He sweat dropped but shook it off quickly, his demeanor changing for all of two seconds.

"I've been holding back every time we mate." His hand touched her face. "I've held back a lot."

"Excuse me?" Now this was just strange.

"It's true. I told you that you'd think I'm weird." He was blushing only slightly. "I didn't want to hurt you, or freak you out."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Did he realize what she'd had sex with before they'd met? Well, honestly she hoped not. They'd talked about the Pyramid Head thing after she introduced him, and it was clear that he'd never like the bogeyman.

"Do you remember when I tried to mate you, and you told me to stop?" he asked, watching her face curiously. His hand was now over hers, which was on his chest.

"Yeah, I do remember," she replied, and then smiled. "I am glad that you went with your decision."

"So am I, but that isn't the point." He sighed before speaking again. "When you told me to stop… I liked it."

"Wait, what?"

His eyes closed. He was embarrassed. "I was-I was turned on when you told me to stop, Tamara. I just didn't act on you because of how I felt about you."

"Well, thanks for not forcing me into courtship and raping me, I guess." She sat up straight and stared at him. "That's what you meant when you said you were holding back? That's not so bad."

"I mean the heat you feel from me when we mate," he continued. "I held back because… I knew it would hurt you if I just let it all escape."

"Hurt me?"

"Yes, I'd burn you." He blinked and smirked slightly, which almost scared her. "I remember back when I only obsessed over you." He held his hand out again and she took it. He sat up and began to kiss her fingers. "But that's something to tell you about later." He pulled her forward. "It would be more arousing than anything if I could do things to you."

"You do things to me already, Hiei."

"Don't be dumb, Tamara." He sighed again. "I meant not hold back. It would be more arousing than ever f I didn't hold back."

Suddenly she was beneath him, under the blankets. He was naked. She blushed, something she didn't do often now that she and Hiei had been mated for awhile. "I want to hear you ask me to stop again," he whispered softly in her ear. He could feel her nervousness and he loved it. His eyes were dark and almost cynical. "I know it's wrong, but it would turn me on to hurt you."

She was shivering without realizing it. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden? This was Hiei. He wasn't going to do anything that would legitimately, permanently damage her. He just wanted to open her up to a whole new world of sex. "Fire demon thing?" she asked.

"I've only met one other." His gaze was normal again as he said this. "One other fire demon. And we had a long conversation, and that included the things we did to women when we had intercourse." His smirk grew. "That man had the same sexual preferences as me, even though we were polar opposites. He said that all fire apparitions are like that. We all like watching our mates writhing in pain that dances with the line of pleasure. And I can promise that is the pain you'll feel."

"Pain that dances the line of pleasure?"

"Pain so intense that it arouses you beyond anything you've ever known." His eyes were dark again.

She wasn't sure how dark her face was, but she could only imagine. "If you burn me…" Her hand went to her stomach. "Is it going to… will it hurt the baby?"

"That child's embryo is a protective aura. There's nothing that can destroy it."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm a demon, Tamara. I know."

She hesitated. The heat had only been as intense as the dream once, and only for a brief second. After that it had turned down a few notches. Had he held back then?

"And… if I don't like what you have to offer?"

"Let me do this one time, and I promise any other time I'll hold back again when you ask."

"But if I don't ask?"

He didn't have to answer verbally. His smirk turned into a half-madman grin. That was a new look. She looked away, cheeks hotter than she'd ever felt.

Hiei loved how embarrassed she looked. He was half-hard already knowing that tonight he'd finally get to do this. Restrain her, let his skin burn her on contact. Touch her and take in every little move she made, every flinch, cringe, and twitch. Show her what his mouth could really do to her.

"How bad are we talking, Hiei?" she asked, making eye contact again. "I mean, the burns."

"They'll look no worse than they have before," he stated, raising an eyebrow. "But they will feel totally and completely different." He moved to lie beside her, hand moving to play with her hair. "It's not like I'm going to kill you, Tamara. I'd planned on doing it that first night, the night you told me to stop."

"Why didn't you?" Her steel gaze met his. She was completely serious, even with such heavy blush on her face. "Why didn't you do it?"

"Somehow it's always felt better to wait until now to show you."

She looked away again, that innocent and embarrassed look back on her face. God, he'd never wanted to take her so badly in his life. She was so vulnerable that it was almost like she was a stranger. He'd never seen her like this. He'd never seen her air of confidence leave her eyes before now. She was honestly afraid of him. Afraid of what he could do. The fear was so thick he could almost taste it.

And the fear tasted like it was beyond the heavens.

"You're sure that the baby will be okay?" She sat up and moved to straddle one of his legs. "I will not do anything risky."

He raised an eyebrow. "You go into the woods and shoot a gun and practice with mêlée weapons every day, and you're worried that sex will be risky?"

"I suppose you have a point, but shooting a gun isn't like walking into a pit of hellfire."

His smirk only grew. His eyes still had that evil flicker in them. "That child is a fire demon like myself. Fire will not phase it."

She sighed. She was ever so curious about this. And if Hiei said that it was alright…

She moved to kiss him, but he beat her to it. A shock went through her body. As hungry as Hiei's kisses could be, this one knocked all others out of the ballpark. He'd never truly took her breath away like that before. He held her face with both hands, ravaging her mouth. Their tongues collided with an intensity she hadn't yet known. He bit her lip and she bit back, his fangs drawing blood on her lips. He groaned.

She pushed him back down into the pillows, shocking him slightly. She bent down to his ear, giving it a soft lick and nibbling his earlobe. He breathed inward through clenched teeth, gripping her sides tightly. His hands were getting hotter.

He watched her closely as her hand went down to stroke him, starting at his chest and slowly moving down. His muscles clenched when her fingers went over his toned stomach. His breath hitched when he felt her hands close over his manhood. God, her cool skin felt so good against his.

Her mouth made its way down his neck and to his collarbone, and she nipped there before sitting up slightly to look him in his crimson eyes. A drop of himself came out as she stroked, and she smirked when she felt it.

"Does that feel good, Hiei?" she asked. He felt his face flushing only slightly.

Her face moved back down to his collarbone, and she only moved downward from there. He growled in pleasure when he felt her mouth around the head of his dick, now fully erect.

She used her hand to cover what she couldn't get down her throat. The thought had Hiei smirking. She'd never been able to get it all down.

He grabbed her hair, watching her as she moved her head up and down. God, the pleasure. She was better than girls he'd had before, but then again, no woman he'd ever had could ever take it all. Just didn't seem possible.

He pulled her back up to him by her hair, giving her an open-mouthed, passionate kiss. She groaned slightly, barely being able to pull away to wipe her mouth. It did take her a moment to get away.

He was on top of her before she could even say another word. He used some of his demon energy, his temperature rising quickly. Just his thoughts were turning him on.

He peeled her clothes off of her while the dragon slithered across her body, moving to hold her hands above her head. The burning sensation was worse than ever, burning her like the real flames they were. She gasped in surprise, cheeks flushing. It was getting too hot in here. She felt like she was going to melt.

When she was nude, he began to explore with his hands. He always did this, though. At least, most of the time. Admiring her body with his hands was something he thoroughly enjoyed.

He reached up, making eye contact with her, and pulled off his headband. Her eyes widened slightly. His smirk stayed constant.

"I want to see you from every angle," he said quietly, and reached down to touch her left breast. She didn't hear it, but he could hear a slight sizzle as he touched her skin. Her back arched and she made a noise Hiei had never heard her make before. His eyes moved from her breast to her face.

She was in pain. He could see it in her steel eyes. Not the pain that he could be satisfied with. Only normal pain.

He took her nipple between his thumb and index finger and pinched. She groaned again and this time she flinched away. Were her eyes watering? Was she crying?

He did the same with the other, smirk becoming grin once more. Both at the same time.

"Oh, god," she sighed, face turning to the side and her eyes closing. Her cheeks were dark. He could smell her arousal. He loved it.

He leaned down over her, breathing on her ear. "This is how you should have felt our first time," he growled.

The sound of his voice only aroused her more. The grip she had on his leg grew tighter, despite his high body temperature. THe fire demon imagined that it was burning the shit out of her legs. He leaned back up as his hands kept on exploring, rubbing her sides and hips slowly. She was squirming beneath him, moaning, flinching away.

He rested both hands on her inner thighs. They were slightly damp from something besides just sweat. Her scent was intoxicating. That's why he liked going down on her so much.

She was running, backing away from him. "Stop," she breathed, eyes only halfway open. "That hurts…"

He began a massaging motion. She only wanted it more, whether she denied it or not. She loved receiving the pain as much as he loved giving it to her. It was like a hot iron moving across her skin.

He was rubbing the head of his member against her clit. She hissed in pleasure, arching her back once more. That heat… that was the heat that he'd been waiting for her to experience. The heat that he'd claimed to hold back for her. It was true. His touch was so much more intense.

He leaned down again, this time licking her ear and basking in the satisfaction he got from her shout of shock, pleasure and pain. He worked his way along her jaw and to the left side. Even though she cringed away, she was still moving to his convenience.

He found the sensitive part of her neck and nuzzled there, moving his hands up and behind her back to caress there. She fidgeted again, trying to move away from his touch. She was so wet; he could feel it on his leg.

His lips found her ear again. "I remember when I obsessed over you." He licked the shell of her ear and got a moan out of her. He breathed in the light smell of her singed skin. "I used to just _get off_ all night long thinking about touching you the way I am now."

Her legs clenched around his again. Oh, so she liked that? He licked his mark on her shoulder next. "And everything about you is the way I imagined it, right down to every noise you make."

"Wait," she said quietly. "What are you going to do?"

"Hn."

He bit down on her mark, without warning. She screamed, arching her body against him. Her hands above her became fists. He began to lick the blood from her shoulder. He felt her juices on his leg now. He'd made her come that hard for him, with just one bite.

"Your tongue hurts, Hiei."

"Hn. Too bad I'm not done with it."

His mouth was mind-numbing to her. The only thing she could focus on was the pain. She couldn't handle it. The way his lips burned her neck was too much. His tongue scalded her skin and every time he went to nibble he would draw blood. She flinched away, crying out in pain and yet pleasure.

He could have gotten off right there, just watching her writhe in pain.

The dragon's flames were beneath her as well, the fire licking her back and adding to all the sensations.

"Stop, Hiei…" He was making his way down her body with his mouth, stopping at her breasts. She felt like a hot iron was on her nipple. She felt a searing tear stream down the side of her face. "Hiei, that hurts!"

He only glanced up at her once, and decided to move down. He was still amazed by how hot she was down there, and yet the rest of her body was strangely cool. Well, compared to his, it was, anyway.

"Goddamn it!" she shouted when his tongue touched her soaked slit. She struggled against the black flames, trying to back away from him. He reached up and grabbed the top of her thighs, groaning as he continued. She bit her lip and struggled with no prevail.

His tongue slid inside, and she arched her back and saw stars. Her eyes rolled back into her skull. She no longer struggled but instead thrust her hips up.

Hiei almost came on the spot from her scream.

She stayed on her orgasmic high as he licked her clean, some of her nectar leaking from the corner of his mouth. He thrust two fingers into her, feeling her contract around them instantly. God, she was amazing.

"Your fingers…" she breathed. "They're… they're too hot…"

He sat up, making eye contact before he wiped his mouth. He removed his fingers and leaned forward, placing them against her lips. Her eyes widened, and he pushed them into her mouth. She groaned at her own taste. He pushed them further in and then pulled them out slightly, before pushing them in again.

"You tasted better than I'd imagined before we mated," he said in a low voice. "If only you knew how good you really are, in my eyes."

Her body was sweating. He wasn't even close to being finished with her. He removed his fingers and positioned himself, bringing one of her legs up over his shoulder.

Her whole body shook when he entered her. Hiei bent his head back and moaned slightly, biting his lip. No, she would never understand how good she was. She'd never know how good she felt to him. How every noise she made was music to his ears. How he took in every move she made down to the last detail, just on the off chance that he would get to dream about her as well when he slept. She'd never get it.

"Say my name." He pulled out and then thrust back in, slow and deliberate. She was so tight.

"Hiei…" she groaned. "Hiei, I can't…"

"Say it again." He pushed in a little harder this time, earning a small moan in return.

"H-Hiei…" She tried to run, but it wasn't working. He began to take on a rhythm, keeping his eyes on her face so that he could watch her facial expressions. He took in all of her.

* * *

Tamara's body was on fire. She was wondering when she would literally burst into flames, but the time never came. Hiei kept it going all night, showing her positions she'd never tried with anyone. The dragon eventually went away, maybe about halfway through, and then it was only skin on skin, with nails raking each other's backs and lips pressing against each other. They melded together, becoming more or less one person.

"No one will ever give you pleasure the way I do," he'd whispered in her ear once. "I'm the only one that will ever be able to do this to you. The only one."

She was on a high she had never known. Dancing the line of pleasure and pain had been one of the best experiences she'd ever had. And she honestly never wanted to go back.

* * *

The sun was past its rising point. She wasn't sure what time it was anymore. She lay against Hiei's chest, still panting even though she'd had a good five minutes' rest. She was hurting. She had bruises and burns all over her. She was ready for sleep. Well, maybe food first.

Hiei wasn't even sweating, but even he had a few hickeys that he'd have to cover up. He was barely holding his eyes open, but he kept an arm around her possessively.

"Have I told you that you're crazy?" she asked quietly, snuggling as close as she could.

"Hn." He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I told you that you'd think it was weird."

"I liked it, though, but we can't do that all the time." She decided to turn away from him, moving his arm towards her head. "Because I'll lose even more sleep if that happens."

"Right." He turned to spoon with her, kissing her shoulder, his hand resting on her pregnant stomach. "I enjoyed it myself." He didn't have to see her face to know that she was blushing. He moved some of her hair out of the way. "I love you, Tamara."

"Hm… Love you too, Hiei."

"You're half asleep."

"That doesn't mean I don't love you." Her hand went over his. "Now the only thing we have to worry about is how much of a badass our kid's gonna be. Yippie."

"Hn. I think that it doesn't matter."

Tamara yawned. "And why is that?"

"Because we both will love it no matter what happens."

He could feel her happiness. Feel her love. It made him smile, even though she couldn't see it. This moment was perfect.

And then they felt something.

"Whoa!" Tamara sat up slightly. Even Hiei gasped.

They felt their child kick. Or had it been a demon's heartbeat? Whatever it had been, it had been strong. Tamara turned a little to look at him with wide eyes. They stared at each other for a few moments before laughing quietly. Tamara laid back down and yawned again.

"He must have felt it, too." She whispered.

Hiei resumed his position, kissing her shoulder again. "Yeah. Must have."


	32. Chapter Thirty-One: A Gender

**Chapter Thirty-One: A Gender.**

* * *

Tamara stretched out on the examination table, yawning so hard that tears came to her eyes. She hadn't had any sleep since the day before, and had worked graveyards last night. Just to walk straight to the hospital for her appointment. She swore that her exhaustion would get her before Walter would.

She eyed the pistol that was barely noticeable in her purse. Walter Sullivan had not shown himself again, but sometimes she felt like she was being watched. Like he was waiting to catch her off-guard. The pistol was something she felt was required, now, just in case. Even though she practiced every day, she still didn't feel capable. And not being able to practice in hand-to-hand combat did not help. Damn pregnancy.

Hiei wasn't with her today. He'd decided to stay in the apartment and do whatever it was he did when she wasn't around. That and he still hated the ultrasound thing. It pissed him off to watch his wife spread her legs in front of anyone else, even if it was to check out the health of their child.

Hiei had helped, though. Her baby did not have a normal heartbeat, by any means. It was that of a demon, only beating every now and again. An agent had to come in from Spirit World and be her doctor. This man also had a nurse or two who tended to Tamara's needs. Hiei had talked to Koenma into sending him to the woman, only because she insisted on going to the hospital.

Mainly so she could get her pictures.

It was hard to believe that she and Hiei had been married for a month. It felt like longer than that. Then again, they were married on Demon World terms before they'd married in Living World.

But it also meant that it would only be one more month before she had to return to the Otherworld for seven days. And they woud be the longest seven days of her life. She'd be under Walter's total and complete control, whether or not she wanted to protect-

"Good morning, Tamara." Her doctor's voice cut her thoughts short. Her gaze snapped to his face and she smiled.

"Morning," she replied quickly. She remembered how excited she was supposed to be. Today was supposed to be the day she was going to find out the gender of her baby. And it was a good thing, too. She had a shower she had to plan.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked, sitting in his stol and looking at his lipboard. "Nausea still bothering you?"

"Nah, it's not too bad." She touched her stomach and then added, "How're you feelin', doc?"

Well, same old same old," the man answered with a laugh. "So, are you ready?"

Tamara placed her feet on the usual stands and began to lay back. "As I'll ever be."

"Then let's get started."

The usual discomfort felt distant. Tamara was too preoccupied staring at the monitor. This was the highlight of every week. She was fascinated with her baby and how much it grew and what it looked like. And she now wondered almost constantly what its gender was. She didn't have a preference but she was curious.

She was pretty sure that she saw her baby before the doctor did, and tears came to her eyes. She swore the baby had even waved last week. But she could have imagined it.

"Everything's great, like always," the doctor said after a few minutes of silence. "Perfect size and everything."

"Awesome." Tamara was too caught up. "I want the picture."

"Naturally," he replied. "Do you want to know the gender?"

Her eyes widened when she looked to the doctor.

"Yes. Of course."

* * *

Hiei felt a familiar excitement stir within him, ad quickly shook it off. Tamara was at the doctor, looking at the baby again. As excited as he really was, he still didn't see why a baby shower was necessary. He could easily steal or buy anything the baby needed or wanted.

"She excited, Hiei?" Yusuke asked, grinning. He could see the excitement in the fire demon's eyes.

They were all in Hiei's apartment, having a beer and talking about their next case. Had the Spirit Detective really noticed, even though Hiei had hidden it so well?

"Hn." Damn him and his friendships. They could tell something was up by just looking at him, reading him like an open book, and Hiei hated it.

Then again, besides Tamara, what didn't Hiei despise?

"I think that's Hiei's own excitement as well," Kurama said with a smirk. "Today is a special day for himself and Tamara."

Hiei didn't despise Kurama. The fox was one of the only people he could confide in. Hiei didn't do much confiding, either. But the fox was always there. He was a good friend.

"Huh?" Yusuke asked.

Okay, he didn't hate Yusuke, either. He was also a good friend. And they were equally matched as far as their fighting skills. It was good to have a comrade that was on your level. And you didn't have to protect them.

"What's so special about today?" Kuwabara asked. "Is she going to find Hiei some stilts?"

Oh, that's right. Hiei didn't despise Kuwabara. He _loathed_ Kuwabara. "Don't be ignorant," the fire demon said quietly. "Tamara is about to find out the sex of the baby."

The apartment grew silent. Kuwabara solved his videogame to turn around and stare at Hiei with that stupid look that made Hiei want to put him out of his misery.

They were all staring for a few minutes before Hiei said anything. "What the hell are you staring at?"

"Well, we're waiting on you to tell us." Yusuke had that stupid grin on his face again. Seemed Kurama was the only one who could keep his expressions at a controlled level.

Hiei scowled. "Ch'. I'm not a radio broadcast." He stood. "You'll find out when-"

The feeling tore his words away. Worry and yet relief. Happiness he'd never felt before. Not even on his wedding day. He closed his eyes and the feelings intensified.

He saw a clear image of what she saw: the ultrasound. But the feelings didn't go away when the picture did. Hiei's mind began to fill with the images going through Tamara's mind.

Diapers, bottles, toys, giant stuffed animals. Bows, flowers, pink blankets and roses… pink balloons for the shower, dresses…

Dresses? Pink? A… a girl?

His eyes opened and his friends were still staring. Kurama's eyebrows were raised slightly. They were all so very curious.

Hiei had to clear his throat before he spoke. He was so shocked that he didn't know what to do. He hadn't really cared about the gender. He was just shocked. And he felt a little choked up. "Tamara… I…" He couldn't find the right words. He didn't know how to say it. "We're having a girl."

* * *

Tamara came in to the whole apartment buzzing with excitement. Damn that Hiei. He must have been just as shocked as she had been, and said it without thinking. Now that was kinda cute. He'd been excited.

The ultrasound photos were being moved from her old album to a pink one. She'd picked it up on the way home, too excited about buying a new photo album. Yusuke and Kuwabara were drinking in celebration. Rin was on her way over with Mikoto and Mari. She swore Rin had started crying on the phone. Such an emotional woman.

Keiko offered Tamara some non-alcoholic beer, but she turned it down. It just wasn't the same as the real thing. She could not wait to drink real beer or wine again. It would be splendiferous.

She'd stopped smoking completely. She enjoyed the clear breathing, but she missed the nicotine. Especially after sex.

She glanced at Hiei and flushed slightly. The burns had taken a whole week to disappear, when she had been used to them disappearing after two days. And she'd been sore for almost four. That had not been cool… even though Hiei had given her massages every night.

But they had sex like that at least once a week now. She'd found that she loved it. Hiei was on a whole new level of dirty when it was like that. But the sex was usually the lovemaking she was used to. She didn't want to overdo it, what with the baby. Taking the risk of hurting it was too much for her.

* * *

No one left until late that evening, and Mikoto and Mari decided to stay the night. Tamara agreed, seeing as she did have two couches in her new apartment. God, she loved having the room for everyone.

Mari was lounging, drawing in her sketch pad as usual. Mikoto was trying to teach Hiei how to play some videogame. He was quite frustrated with that, but at least he was trying. Tamara took the opportunity for some alone time in her clawed bathtub, having a good two feet away from each surrounding wall. She loved having a big bathroom. Especially at a time like this. She needed to chill for a little while.

She had way too much to think about, so it was hard for her to "chill." She had a name to think of and a shower to plan. She had to come up with designs for the bedroom. She was happy that Mari could draw. Maybe she and her mother could help design something interesting…

"Baby girl, huh?"

No. Not again. He was in her _bathroom_? While she was taking a bath? She went to cover herself up, but froze with her hands in the air when she felt his hands on her shoulders. She knew Hiei was going to notice it soon. Hiei was coming for her. Hiei was going to show up and then Walter would disappear again.

"I'm proud of you, Tamara. You should have gotten pregnant earlier on, though. Now your punishment for leaving me will be even more severe."

"I'm going to kill you," she said through gritted teeth. It took everything she had to keep her voice from cracking. "If Henry don't, I can guarantee that I certainly will."

"Shut up," he growled. "I'm immortal, I've told you."

"Tamara?" Hiei was outside, attempting to turn the doorknob. She hadn't locked it, she knew. She never locked the bathroom door in her own house.

"Hiei…" she said quietly, and closed her eyes, willing for the man behind her to disappear.

"Oh, so you'd like to join us?" Walter called, and then said quietly, eyes moving from the door to Tamara, "Until next time, my pet."

"Fuck you."

Hiei kicked the door in to find Tamara alone. Great. Looks like he ruined the bathroom door for nothing.

She was still frightened. He could feel it. Poor girl still didn't know how to keep her emotions to herself. Seems they'd have to work on that, but it would take some time.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he shut the door behind him.

She nodded silently. _Pet_, she thought. Walter had called her his _pet_. That disgusting pedophile. She was going to murder him.

Hiei kissed her on the forehead, before grabbing her face and beginning to look her over. It was his instinct. He just couldn't believe that the bastard came into _his_ home while _his_ wife was taking a bath. Fire demons were much too territorial, and anyone who had any common sense would know that. The only thing that he could think was that he needed to mark his mate for a second time, maybe somewhere more visible.

"Calm down, Hiei." Her voice was soft. "I'm alright now. I'll be out in a few minutes."

"Hn." He kissed her again and walked away. If she said she was fine, then she was fine.

Even though Hiei knew better.

* * *

They stayed up late that night, Tamara and Hiei staying up until Mikoto and Mari left the next afternoon. Hiei had a file to report, and the idiot had forgotten about it because he'd been so caught up, so he left after about two hours of alone time. It was about four in the evening. Tamara decided to take a nap, thinking it was a perfect opportunity. But first she dug into some pie her mom had brought the day before.


	33. Chapter Thirty-Two: The Jealous Type

**Chapter Thirty-Two: The Jealous Type.**

* * *

**This is another smut chapter, even though it's not exactly a lemon. Let's just settle with "lime" for this one. After Hisao's little scene, you might just want to move on to the next chapter. Just saying.**

* * *

Damn that Hiei. What could that bastard have that he didn't? He was much taller. He was better looking. Better hair, prettier eyes.

But Hiei _was_ an upper A class demon now, after much fighting and training under the Spirit World. Damn traitor. Besides that, Hisao was only a lower C class demon. He didn't stand a chance against the bastard.

But he could easily take on Tamara. He didn't know her class, but surely it wasn't higher than his own. She kept her powers sealed away, staying in her fragile human form unless she needed to feed. Yes, Hisao could easily take her, and they could run to where the traitor couldn't find them. Somewhere in the Mekkai, maybe. Surely Tamara would last there, even if she was in a low class.

It was the afternoon now. Tamara was in her apartment, he knew. Hiei had left about an hour or so ago, for reasons he didn't know.

Hisao hated the fact that Tamara had moved uptown. He hated that she was pregnant with a traitor's child. He hated that she'd mated with the bastard after only living with him for two months.

He _hated_ Hiei.

The apartment was unlocked. He went inside, not caring if he was invited or not. It wouldn't matter soon enough.

Tamara was sleeping. She looked peaceful, without the usual exhaustion or stress on her face. There was white bandaging on her left shoulder, a slight crimson tint leaking through.

_My god_, he thought, eyes widening. _Is he biting over his own mark over and over_? Hiei really was a bastard. She had to be in pain with the wound like that.

He moved slowly to the bed. Ugh, the fire demon's scent was all over. He began to unwrap the bandage, watching her face carefully.

She seemed to be a light sleeper. She woke up easily. "Hisao?" she asked. Her eyes were glazed over with sleep. "What are you doing in here?"

"Relax, Tamara." He kept his voice low. "I'm just changing your bandage. Mizu told me to come and talk to you about maternity leave."

That part wasn't a lie. Mizu had sent him just for that. Hisao had made his choice to take her while he was on his way. They both would be leaving the Black Dragon soon.

"'Kay. Well, let me nap first."

She was snoring again almost immediately. Stupid girl. Stupid, trusting girl. Hisao removed the bandage completely and tossed it aside, onto the floor. She wouldn't need it soon enough.

The wound was still bleeding. Had he bitten her so recently and chosen not to heal it? Was he this cruel to her all the time?

Despite Hiei's obnoxious scent, Hisao leaned down and began to lick the mark clean, positioning himself carefully over her. Her blood was tainted, but that was common in most who were marked by another. He didn't care, though. Wouldn't be long until it would be pure again. At least, to him it would be.

"Hisao, stop…" She was still sleepy, but rolling onto her back and trying to move away.

He put one hand over her mouth and used his other to grab the leg he wasn't straddling, bringing it against his hip. He used his demon energy to increase his strength beyond her own.

She began to struggle. She was frightened. He didn't stop. The mark had to be healed if he wanted to go over it with his own fangs.

She was reaching under her pillow, where Hisao knew she kept her gun. He smirked, bloody lips against her skin.

The back of his shirt burst open, and a strange appendage appeared to wrap around both of her wrists.

"You never even bothered to ask what kind of demon I am," he said quietly. "I'm of the many arachnid breeds of demon. A spider, if you will."

Oh, that got her flailing. Typical human. Afraid of spiders.

He didn't transform. This was only for his convenience. He began to kiss down her neck and shoulder and then back up, softly licking her ear.

"See how tender that is, Tamara? That's how lovemaking is supposed to feel." He licked the mark again, smirk growing when he realized it was healed completely. "It's okay. I'll show you how a man is supposed to treat his woman."

He moved his hand from her leg and moved to pull his shirt down. She was kicking, but it didn't bother him. He hardened his exoskeleton to make sure she couldn't consume him whole this time, starting with the hand over her mouth. He couldn't understand what she was saying, either. He continued his exploration, moving down to her breasts. He wished he could hear the noises she started making.

He couldn't help it much longer, though. He had to do it, whether or not she was pregnant by another demon. God, he could only imagine Hiei's face…

A spark of pain, and then he was thrown against the apartment wall. He smelled his own blood. His spider leg was on the floor beside the bed. Tamara was covering herself, her face flushed.

Hisao's eyes widened. Hiei stood between himself and the bed, his sword drawn. The bastard had cut off one of his legs?

"Ch'." The fire demon's eyes darkened. "Just who do you think you are?"

Hisao couldn't be afraid. Not now. But those eyes…

"I'm taking her away from you, Hiei," he replied. Had his voice cracked? "You don't deserve her!"

Hiei was too fast for him, and he wasn't surprised. He thrusted his sword through Hisao's chest and into the wall behind him, making a noise loud enough that Hiei didn't care who heard.

The spider demon tasted blood in his mouth, but Hiei had missed his heart. Barely. He looked over to the woman on the bed.

She was shaking, trying to wipe the bloody lip marks off her neck and chest. But she was looking at Hiei with those fearful eyes. That was good. That had to mean she was afraid of him. Hisao could tell.

"Don't mistake her fear thinking it's towards me," the fire demon growled. "She wants me to spare you." His knuckles paled, his grip on the katana tightening. "I'm not sure how much you pay attention to me." The power in his voice was frightening. "I've slain almost two-dozen demons since I've mated Tamara. And that was for much less than what you've just done."

"Hiei," Tamara began, "I'm sorry. I was sleeping, and-"

"Don't." His eyes only briefly moved to the woman on the bed, and then back to Hisao. "I left because I'd forgotten to file a report in the Spirit World. I bandaged her mark myself and was planning to heal it when I returned."

The fire demon twisted the blade in Hisao's chest. He coughed, blood spurting from his mouth. "I've been wanting to kill you for awhile, you know." Hiei was smirking now. "Ever since that first night at the bar, when I saw you working with her."

"You're such an asshole!" Hisao shouted. God, his voice had broken again. "You can't go around killing other apparitions because they talk to Tamara! She's not your property!"

Hiei's smirk only grew. "I didn't kill them because they talked to her," he replied, chuckling slightly. "I killed them because they looked at her the wrong way."

Hisao's eyes widened, and he looked to Tamara again. The fear was gone from her gaze. She had a small smile on her face.

"Hiei's always been the jealous type," she said with a laugh. "It's cute, really."

"Hn." The fire demon thought _that_ particular comment hadn't been needed. "You're bold, Hisao, I'll give you that." He twisted the blade again. "But _you're _the one who doesn't deserve her. You're not even worth me killing, you know."

Was he going to let Hisao go?

"Hiei, don't," he heard Tamara say. "He's not-"

"The fool's crossed a line, Tamara. I should have let you eat him whole the last time."

Hisao's vision was getting blurry. The pain in his chest was immense. It was getting harder to breathe. He felt the heat of the flames Hiei was summoning.

"You're not even worth the Dragon."

"Shit," Tamara said, and began to turn around, but Hisao reaching for her pillow. "Wake me up when it's over."

"_Fist of the Mortal Flame_!"

Hisao only felt a flash of the burning pain. Seems Hiei was merciful after all.

But that also could have been the bullet in his brain.

Tamara gulped, putting her gun back where it belonged. Hiei definitely wasn't happy with her now.

He left the charred body of Hisao on the floor, sheathing his sword. He turned to her. "Why did you shoot him?" he asked, his face serious.

"You were going to make him suffer," she replied, looking down at the bed. "He _was_ my friend, Hiei."

"What kind of _friend_ does that?" Was he raising his voice? At her? "He was going to _rape_ you! I felt how afraid you were, Tamara!"

"Calm down." She still didn't make eye contact. "I just put him out of his misery."

Suddenly, she was making eye contact with the fire demon, and he was gripping her jaw just a little too tight.

"I can smell it," he said. "how far did he get with you, Tamara?"

"He had my shirt off, you saw that." Hiei really _did_ need to calm down. "I promise that it was no further. Now, please let-"

His tongue slipped between her lips and he began ravaging her mouth. She groaned slightly, but couldn't pull back. He bi her lip hard enough to draw blood, growling slightly.

He was on top of her before she could speak. "Hiei… stop…" she breathed. "I… I don't want to…"

He was nipping at her jaw. "I've told you twice, once in a dream and once in reality. _No other_ is to ever bring you such pleasure."

"He-He didn't-"

"I can smell it. Whatever he was doing, you liked it." He began undressing her.

"My body reacted, Hiei. I was struggling. You know I wouldn't do that to you."

"I don't care. I just want to fuck you until you understand."

"Hiei, I do understand…"

"Hn. Hold that thought for a few minutes. I want to show you."

She was naked now. Damn, he worked fast.

He moved her on top. She blushed. "I'm not going to sixty-nine with you, Hiei," she said quietly, looking away."

"That's not what I want." He kissed her again. "I'm the only one, Tamara." His eyes almost looked hurt. But she could feel his territorial personality. "I'm the only one who can do these things to you."

"I know, Hiei."

He pulled her legs up above his shoulders. Her cheeks became even darker. Her sex was right above his face.

"H…H…Hiei?" she asked, looking down at him curiously.

"Let me show you why I'm the best," he growled, and yanked her hips down. Her head snapped back, and then she knew nothing except what he was doing. She tried to get up, to make him stop, only to fail.

He really was the jealous type.


	34. Chapter Thirty-Three: Departure

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Departure.**

* * *

The baby shower was on a Wednesday, around lunch time. Tamara and Hiei spent the next whole day finishing up the baby's room. Above her crib, Rin and Mari had painted a bright pink rose, surrounded by tribal dragons. Seemed appropriate, they'd said. The rest of the room stayed white, with a shelf that had been adorned with stuffed animals and other baby things. The changing table was on the far side. Tamara bought pink rugs, blankets, bedding, and a lot of wall decorations. There was border along the top of the wall, with a design of many-colored roses.

She had to leave the next morning. This was going to be the last night they saw each other for a week. Of course, Hiei thought that it might be longer than that. But she was going to let him know.

She wrote him a note on a piece of sketch paper that Mari had left behind, and made him promise not to read it until after she was gone.

The month had gone by too quickly. She didn't think that anyone had realized that Wednesday was the last time they'd get to see her. She wasn't even going to get to say bye to them. It made her wonder how pissed they would be. If they would scorn the Forbidden Child for mating her, just to have her run off six months later with his child.

Hiei took her out to dinner that evening. He'd bought her a whole new outfit (with Keiko's help, as Hiei had no idea how to shop for clothes) and told her to get ready, not even giving her any warning. He even wore different clothes, and didn't wear his cloak. Instead, he wore a nice black collared shirt and black pants. The restaurant was downtown, and it was one of the nicest places that was in the city. She'd almost cried, but held back. She was just moved by the gesture.

The lovemaking had been more passionate than anything either of them had experienced. There was no dragon, no pain. Only sweat, the entangling of bodies, and the noises they both made. Toward the end, Tamara began to cry. Hiei just had a sad look in his eyes, like it would be the last time.

Hiei would have to sleep soon, though. Tamara knew he was mentally exhausted as well as physically. He hadn't slept in almost two weeks, simply tossing and turning in bed. But for now they lay together, nude, holding on and never wanting to let go.

"Tamara," he half-whispered. It was almost one in the morning, and neither of them had lost their grip.

"Yeah, Hiei?"

"Promise you'll return to me as soon as you get the opportunity."

She craned her head to look up at him, and tried to smile. He was as sad as she was. His eyes were watering.

"I put It on my life, Hiei." She reached up and touched his face. "You don't have to cry."

He growled in frustration, moving to wipe his eyes. "Ch'. I'm no weakling." a stray tear fell, though, landing on the pillow beneath him, and began to change. She'd followed it with her eyes, astonished that the fire demon had the ability to cry at all. It turned red and became spherical, like an orb. She gasped.

"What?" he asked, taking his hand from his eyes. "I'm fine-"

"Look."

He followed her gaze and his breath hitched. A tear gem. He'd shed a tear, surely the first in his life, and had made a tear stone. It was exactly like the ones the couple wore about their necks, except it was crimson like his eyes.

Tamara gently lifted it between her forefinger and her thumb, bringing it closer to her face. Steel eyes met crimson ones. She smiled. "And who says you're nothing like the ice apparitions, Hiei?" she asked. "You have tear gems."

"Hn. They're different. All the more reason for them to banish me."

"No, it makes you unique. And there's nothing wrong with that." Her smile turned into a grin. "Trust me. I'm the queen of unique."

"Hn." He slowly took the stone from her. "I wonder how much a red tear stone is worth on the black market."

"Don't sell it!" she said quickly. "We can make it into a necklace when the baby comes."

"Hn." Damn, he was saying that a lot tonight. He moved his other hand to her neck. "The child will get one in time I have a better idea."

* * *

Thirty minutes later, they were sleeping soundly, Yukina's tear gem beside the unread note. On a new thread around Tamara's neck, Hiei's red tear hung. It had a whole new feel about it, and seemed to feel warmer than the other. It was different, all right.

Hiei was personally just surprised that he'd managed to fall asleep.

* * *

_Ugh, what time is it?_

Tamara woke up to Hiei's soft snoring in her ear. She quietly wriggled out of bed, paying that her mate wouldn't wake up.

He didn't. When Hiei slept, he really _slept_.

She pulled on some old jeans (well, not old, but ones that worked with her prego-belly), a tee-shirt, and a pullover. She quickly and quietly dug through the closet until she found her old red drawstring bag, freshly stocked with ammo and a change of clothes. She tucked her gun into the back of her pants and her pocketknife into her left sneaker.

When she looked over at Hiei, the Jagan Eye was open. Tamara ignored it and kissed Hiei on the cheek. It sometimes did that. She was used to it.

The bathroom was darker than usual. She knew why. She looked in the mirror and barely recognized Alessa. She really hadn't seen the Holy Mother in awhile.

"Are you ready?" she asked. She looked sad, too. "You will come back soon, you know."

"Yeah, I know…" Tamara's gaze stayed on the Holy Mother. She felt brave. Or, at least, that's how she thought she felt. "He had to know when I'm coming back."

"He'll be coming along on your seventh day, anyway."

Somehow, she wasn't surprised that Alessa knew that. "I don't know."

"After the pain you'll share with him, yes. He'll feel the need to protect you." Tamara could hear pieces of the drywall behind her beginning to crumble. She really didn't want to climb through a hole while pregnant.

"Great."

"Well, you will see the bogeyman first. But only so he can help you."

"Help me with what?"

"Your transformation."

"Wait, wait. What? He's changing me again?"

"It will be brief, but it will also be painful. Extremely painful. Now, come. It is time."

"I'm pregnant. Do I have to crawl through a hole in the wall?"

Even if the hole had been almost complete, the crumbling came to a brief stop. The goddess raised an eyebrow, and Tamara placed her hands on her hips. She was happy that she and the Holy Mother were actually friends, and she could have an attitude. "I suppose not," she replied. "Go."

Tamara went to the front door in a half-jog. It was in flames, and she could smell burning flesh. Smelled like home.

* * *

_Tamara._

"Bogeyman."

She'd been home for a few minutes, and she'd sat and waited for him to show. When he finally did, she'd stood and smiled at him.

She was covered in ashes now. They faced each other, in her apartment. There wasn't much that had changed. there was a carton of cigarettes on the coffee table and a new lighter. Tamara grimaced.

_Brace yourself._ Pyramid Head held out a hand and she reached for it by instinct, her smile fading. _This is going to hurt._

And hurt it did. She shrieked, grabbing his hand and holding on tight. Her back suddenly felt like it was on fire. "_Shit!_" she shouted, falling to her knees. She kept a firm grip on her friend's hand. "What the _fuck_ is this?"

_Hold it away from Hiei. There's no reason for him to worry just yet._

She tried her best to comply, gritting her teeth. What was happening to her?

She felt blood dripping down her back. Her bones were cracking as the structure of her body changed. Pyramid Head held her hand through the process. Everything felt painful, different, and new. Her back was tingling as well as hurting terribly.

"What's happening to me?" she asked, struggling to turn her head to try and look. "Am I growing spikes or something!?"

_Bird wings._

"_What_!?"

_Raven wings, to be accurate._

"Why?"

_So that they can be broken._

That was Walter's plan? To give her wings and then break them? What an asshole.

She screamed again, squeezing the bogeyman's hand until she felt his knuckles crack. She knew it wouldn't be too much longer, but it was damn near unbearable.

* * *

Hiei woke up to a sore back and an empty bed. He sighed, sitting up. He could still feel Tamara's lingering kiss on his face, and he reached up to touch it.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do. He supposed he could go to the Mekkai and wait for her to return. That would be easier, taking his mind off things in the Demon World. At least, until she returned.

He decided to read Tamara's note then. It was written on sketch paper. That made him chuckle. She must have had to improvise. It wasn't like they kept notebooks around anyway. He leaned back against the headboard and began to unfold it, observing his name carefully written on the front.

God, why was his back hurting like this? He must have slept on it the wrong way last night.

He sighed when he began the note, unprepared for whatever it said. It was dated from the day before.

_My Dearest Hiei,_

_Sorry I left before you woke up. I didn't want to see the pained look in your eyes again…_

Oh, so she'd planned that. Hn. He continued:

… _Since it's daytime, I'm hoping we get to spend some personal time together tonight. _

_Please tell everyone goodbye for me, and let them know I'll be back soon. Especially Keiko. I've come to think of her as a very close friend of mine. She's helped me out a lot._

_Oh, and I'm not supposed to tell you, but I promise I'll be home sooner than you think I will. Alessa told me that Walter is supposed to die seven days after I return. So I'll be home after that happens. It sounds about right to me, anyway. She is the Holy Mother, and knows best. She's also a friend, even if she's my deity or whatever._

_I'm going to be holding back my negative feelings the best I can while I'm away. If you feel anything, whether it's pain or fear, try and block it out. I'll try to keep it away from you. Been working on it all day._

_Alessa also said that she can keep you posted on me, if you get paranoid or anything. But I don't suggest it. Just passing on the message. You might see something that you don't need to see. But with your Jagan, I wouldn't be surprised if you tried to find me anyway._

_I'm expecting a punishment for leaving by Walter. Surely it won't be too awful. Not much he can do to me now. Luckily I know what I'm doing. The next seven days will (hopefully) be a cakewalk for me._

_I love you, Hiei. With everything I am. You're the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me, you know? I've never been able to imagine myself with friends or a family. And now I have both. Friends, family, a home. I have you. And let's not forget about the daughter we have on the way. I'm sure she's going to be beautiful. We both seem to have good genes. _

_About that… I've been thinking hard about names, and I'm kind of glad I waited to ask about this. You've never told me your mother's name. And if that's okay, I want to name her after your mom. I know she wanted to keep you. You've told me that yourself. Just think about it, okay? We can talk about it when I get back._

_One more thing, and then this boring letter can be tossed aside. I have two pieces of advice for you. If you've never listened to me before, listen now, damn it: _

_1. Tell Yukina. She'll be so excited to be an aunt. I know I would be. And the rest of the group feels the same about this. She NEEDS to know. _

_2. Whatever you do, Hiei, __DON'T__ follow me. __DO NOT __come here. _

_I love you, 'til the universe tears us apart._

_Tamara Jaganshi._

He placed the note back on the end table, sighing heavily. He had to keep from crying for the second time in his life. She was going to come back soon.

The pain in Hiei's back was gone. Instead he felt alive. He felt powerful. On a whole new level. Is this what Yusuke felt like when he used his Mazuku energy?

He was sure he could hear her laughter, but he tried to shake off the feeling. Whether or not it was only a week before her return, Tamara was gone. She was in the Otherworld. For a whole week.

A week without Tamara, and Yusuke didn't have a case. What the hell was he supposed to do?

He looked down at the blankets. Maybe a shower would be a good start.

The fire demon swore he felt a presence in the bathroom, which was oddly dark. He ignored it. He just wasn't used to being alone. Well, not anymore he wasn't. he'd spent so much time with her.

He wasn't used to knowing she wouldn't be coming home tonight.


	35. Chapter Thirty-Four: Broken Wings

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Broken Wings.**

* * *

"These are badass."

The pain was gone. Pyramid Head had helped her clean off all the blood. Her pullover was ruined, but that didn't matter anymore. The bogeyman had told her that her dragon on her back hadn't been touched, either. "I seriously hope I get to keep these," she said, stretching them out and then bringing them against her back. "But why are they below my shoulder blades?" The soft black wings were just below where they would normally be, as far as she'd always pictured it.

_I do not know_. Her friend shrugged. _Your body did not let them grow there. That is why the process took so long._

"Well, I always have been different." the wings felt so natural to her. She could easily control them with only half of a thought. They stretched with her arms, feathers going a whole foot past her fingertips. They were slightly small.

Her stomach growled suddenly, and she laughed. "I need food," she said, and looked around her apartment. She knew she didn't have food here. "What do I do?"

_Hunt. That's all you can do._

"Oh, that's just great." She reached around and plucked one of her onyx, glossy feathers. "How do I deceive idiots with these things?"

_Not people. You will not have access to the outside of your apartment. I will bring things to you._

"Then why call it _hunting_?"

_Because you'll only have time to eat during the night._

She stopped, dropping the feather onto the dark carpet. "What?"

_I must go now. I will bring food when I come back._

He was outside the apartment before she could ask again. Damn, without that oversized butter knife, he was actually kinda fast.

She opened up her bag, walking into the bedroom. Might as well load her gun again and wait for Walter to show up.

She wondered how it was still daytime, but then remembered that the Otherworld was a strange dimension. Walter must have wanted to keep her in her human form.

The bed was the same: squeaky. At least it was comfortable. The blanket smelled the same, aged, cigarettes, sex and sweat. If tears had a smell, she'd be able to know they were there.

It was just bloodier than she remembered. She knew she'd washed it before she left, and there had been no blood on it then. So why now…?

She got up and, holding her gun ready, made her way back into the living room. She was curious about what else had changed. she just had to be careful to make sure the new wings didn't' knock over any of her shit.

Nothing else was different, not really. None of her various items were moved around, at least not that she remembered.

Suddenly, she heard something. Something she'd only heard in nightmares for the past year.

Sirens.

She looked out of the kitchen window, the window Walter had given her to see Forest, Subway, and Water Prison World. She could even see Silent Hill in the distance. Apartment World was the only one darkening. The only one changing. The rest of the worlds were staying the same, the fog staying the same thick, light grey.

The paint was peelling off the walls. The carpet was disappearing, being replaced by various sheets of metal.

"What is going on?" she asked aloud.

She heard the familiar whirring of an industrial fan in the bedroom. That was common. She'd grown used to the window disappearing to make way for that loud bastard. She closed her eyes, waiting patiently for her transformation.

Ten minutes passed, and she opened one eye. She'd never transformed. Was this a trap? Was she supposed to be fooled by this?

She ran into the bedroom for her ammo, prepared to leave and find out what was going on, but stopped short in the doorway. Her eyes widened in shock. So this was what Walter had planned.

The bed was moved to the center of the room, facing the fan where the window used to be. The blankets were black and dripping with blood. The headboard was gone, too. It was simply a mattress on a frame.

"Shit."

She turned to leave. The front door was chained shut, similar to Henry's apartment upstairs. Locked from the inside and the out. Her apartment was like Henry's was now. She was another Henry Townshed.

She must be Eileen Galvin's replacement.

It was at that moment she heard the bending of metal wire. She turned toward the sound, gun aimed and ready. Nothing. Then where…?

The barbed wire shot from the open door of the bedroom, disarming her. She struggled, feeling the double-barbs rip through her clothes and into her skin. They wrapped around all four of her limbs and even her brand-new wings. As she fought back, it began to rain ebony feathers.

"No!" she shouted, slowly being dragged into the bedroom. She made sure to manage to get onto her side. "I'm having a baby, Walter! You can't kill me, too!"

If she wasn't pregnant, though, she would be able to escape this. She'd done it before.

She could hear his laughter. She was grabbing at the metal sheets desperately, starting to cry. She had to remember to hold her pain away from Hiei. He didn't need to know. Not this.

She was thrown onto the bloody bed, and the wires loosened slightly. She could move if she pleased, but honestly didn't dare. Not when she didn't know what to expect.

"My, you've gained some weight, my dear."

The familiar fear. Trauma. Flashbacks. Not again. _Not again!_

"Walter, don't kill me!" she cried, searching about the dark room. "I'm no good for the ritual! I-"

"Why would I kill you?" His voice was soft. She could feel him approach. "I'd never take your life, Tamara. I love you."

"Fuck you! You don't love me, Walter! You're crazy!"

Was that a knife in his hand? Shit. _Shit_!

"Is that any way to speak to me? He asked. "I have a surprise for you."

The wire's grip tightened, again immobilizing her. She gritted her teeth as she felt it dig deeper into her skin. She tried to struggle, but it wasn't helping. The pain was too awful.

Walter was barely visible, but she recognized the glowing red rose in his hands. "No!" she shouted. "I won't let you brainwash me again! I'll fucking _destroy_ you!"

"Relax, Tamara," he said. "This isn't going to brainwash you." She couldn't see his expression for the darkness. "This is going to repress your psychic abilities. I want that 'mate' of yours to feel everything I'm going to do to you."

"No!" she cried in response, holding back angry tears. Not Hiei. He couldn't know. "Don't, Walter! It's not his fault! Please!"

More barbed wire went about her neck and the top of her head to keep her from struggling. Walter's figure bent down over her and began to weave the flower's stem into her hair, making sure the thorns broke her skin. _Anything to shed more blood, right, Walter?_

Tamara could feel the barrier she'd been setting up since last night begin to crumble. Soon enough Hiei would be able to feel everything. Maybe he'd hear everything. See everything.

She willed herself to keep it up, but failed again. The barrier was gone. He would know everything. The only chance she had was keeping her mind off of the pain. To just stop thinking about it, sometimes.

The barbed wire released her head. That helped her a little, she supposed. But it didn't stop the ripping sensations that she felt in her limbs.

"Now, before I get to the finale, I need to do this." She secretly wished she could see his madman grin. Wished she could read his expressions.

A gun. It hadn't been a knife. Or did he have a knife, too, and just hasn't decided to use it yet?

He shot the top of her left wing, severing the bone but leaving the wing itself intact. The barbed wire kept its grip around it, but loosened it so she would be able to sit up. She screamed. He laughed. He shot the other not two seconds later. Another scream and a string of angry curses escaped her mouth.

He was in her face, then. She could finally see the madness in his eyes. "Why don't you cry, my dear?" he asked. "I would love it if you were to cry for me. I would forgive you if you were to shed a tear and apologize."

"And if I don't?" she hissed, hiding her fear and her pain. "There's nothing else you can do to me. You took my innocence and turned me into a freak. You brainwashed me, and then made me learn the truth for your own sick pleasure. There is nothing else you can do."

"Oh, there is." He moved away moving in front of the bed and blocking the dim light from behind the fan. She saw the knife again. "You can apologize to me. For leaving me here all alone, for making me suffer this whole year. And you can cry." He sighed, and shook his head. "I'll make you my lover either way. But if you do not apologize, if you do not cry, I will cut out your unborn child and devour her in front of you."

Tears sprang to her eyes, and tears were shed then. But only a few. She felt something strange kick in, but it wasn't her own. What could it be? It was similar to the instinct she knew Hiei would feel when she was in danger. She knew what his instinct felt like. Like she had to protect something with her life.

Tamara's hair burned away, the new rose implanting itself into her skull. Her skin grew hot and her nose and mouth began to melt. She could feel her fingers turning into razor-sharp blades. Her clothes were burning away, also. This wouldn't be good when she became human again. She'd be naked and in front of Walter.

"You're such a bastard," she growled. Her voice was changing. "I hate you."

"I saw those tears, Tamara. Now, all you have to do is-"

"Go suck your dad's dick, you twisted, mommy's boy pedophile!" She wasn't herself anymore. She hated being restrained like this. She suddenly felt claustrophobic, and it wasn't helping her mood. Usually she would have a little more mercy, more sympathy. But when she was a monster, why should she care? She only acted on instinct. And she had to protect her child. Plus, it was time Walter Sullivan heard a few things.

"Do you know what you're causing, Walter? You're not bringing your precious 'mommy' back! That apartment upstairs isn't your mother and you're an idiot if you think that it is! Your real mom didn't want you! That's why she left you there in the first place! This ritual isn't going to bring her back to you. The Twenty-One Sacrements is going to make Alessa start the goddamn apocalypse! Dahlia gave you that bullshit all those years ago because she didn't have the _balls_ to go kill innocent people!"

She hissed the last bit of her little speech, her eyes burning with tears she couldn't cry. The serial killer was astonished. He didn't know what to say. The knife clattered onto the metal floor, and she could feel his guard being let down. If only she wasn't bound by this fucking wire. She could easily chop off his head, devour him, and go about her business for the next six days. Bastard.

Tamara knew that she was transforming back when she felt the tears begin to pour down her face. That transformation had been brief, but she no longer felt threatened.

"I'm sorry, Walter." She was holding back the sobs she wished she could let out. But not in front of him. No, that couldn't happen. "I'm sorry, but this is all in vain. You're going to fail. Move on. Get over it. I was abandoned, too, remember? And I'm fine now. I'm okay. I have a family. I found my mom. I'll help you, Walter, I promise… I'll help you…"

He was sobbing, she could hear it. Oh, god. Had it worked? Had the truth saved him? Had it saved her baby?

"I have a family." She could only see his outline still, but he was wiping his face, bending down to probably pick up his weapon. "I have you, Tamara. We've always had each other, for the last several years…"

"I know, Walter. Let me go. We can help each other."

He began to laugh then. Shit. He raised up the knife. She saw the flash of his green eyes.

"Wrong answer."

* * *

When Hiei had felt the fear, he wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't sure how to react, knowing that there was nothing he could do about whatever was happening. And when he felt the pain in his arms and legs, he had to bite his lip until he'd tasted blood.

He was trying to block out the pain of whatever the hell his mate was going through. Kurama was there, merely for support. The fire demon could tell her wall had been broken down. And here Hiei thought she was doing so well.

It had been going on for awhile now. The pain was lessening the more he was focusing on blocking it out. He had a high pain tolerance. This agony was simply annoying. Like an itch he couldn't quite scratch. But what the hell else was he supposed to do?

And then he heard that man's voice:

"… _and devour her in front of you._"

Hiei went into instant territory mode. What had that bastard meant by that? He didn't like how threatened she was feeling. He had to hold his breath until the feeling went away.

His arms and legs felt like they were being ripped apart. Even though he was keeping his composure, Kurama could see his body shaking. She was going through something terrible.

Kurama had read Tamara's letter twice already, and now he was eyeing it carefully once more as it sat on the coffee table in front of them. "Maybe we should follow," he suggested, raising an eyebrow."

"Ch'. That would just piss her off." His voice was shaky as well, and he had to clear his throat. "She told me not to. It's the least I can do for her."

"Until you get fed up with the pain, or get curious as to where she is, and decide to find her."

"Shut up." Kurama _was_ right, though. Hiei would go if he wanted to, or felt like he needed to.

He almost fainted, doubling over when he felt a deep pain in his lower abdomen. Somewhere, he felt a part of his wife's mind break, and his demon instincts kicked in again. He wiped his eyes to keep the tears from falling. What the hell?

It went away after a few minutes. Kurama had his hand on his friend's back, looking concerned. Even though the physical pain was gone, Hiei felt a strange sense of depression. A depression he hadn't felt in a very long while.

He pulled his headband away and began to concentrate. No matter how angry he was going to get, he had to know what was going on. He at least had to _know_. And fuck asking that Alessa woman. He didn't even know her.

Seems when Tamara's barrier had gone down, Hiei had finally gotten the ability to read her very thoughts, enter her mind and make it his own if he pleased. But he wasn't going to do that. He had other things in mind. He just wanted to see, to hear.

* * *

Darkness. Blood. A shadowy figure. The vision was blurry. It seemed her head was shaking from side to side. When he could hear, it faded into the sound of screeching metal and what sounded like a large steel fan. She was screaming, crying, shouting.

"No!" The shout sounded like it was coming from a little boy. The vision stopped moving then, and focused. There _was_ a huge fan in the middle of the wall, giving off a dim light beyond. He could see the outline of two figures there, beyond Tamara's flat stomach. One was a child. He was holding something that was dripping with blood.

Everything smelled of blood, too. His back felt slick, like he was covered in it.

"Run!" he heard Tamara shout. The taller figure had a gun aimed at the little boy, apparently staring. "Take her to the Holy Mother! Don't stop until you get there, Walter! Go!"

Wait… Walter? There were two of them?

And a flat stomach? Tamara didn't even look like she'd been pregnant to begin with. But he could see the faint line down her entire stomach. When she craned her head up, he could see another across her lower abdomen.

The boy was gone. The tall figure came toward her slowly, putting the handgun away.

"At least I was kind enough to heal you." Walter. "I couldn't leave you deformed like I do with the others. Your body is too perfect." He ran a finger along the incision. Hiei felt Tamara's disgust. His face came down next to hers, and the vision went black. She must have closed her eyes. She was scared.

"It's just too bad you couldn't watch me eat your child right out of the womb."

* * *

Hiei had to pull out of her mind, then. What the fuck had just happened? His child… his daughter… had Walter really intended to eat her? Surely he wasn't some kind of cannibal.

Then again, Tamara was a cannibal, in a way…

He stood and went to the bathroom, ignoring whatever the hell Kurama was saying. He didn't care about that at the moment. He just wanted to know… he had to…

He gazed into the mirror for only a moment, and then began to look around every corner of the bathroom. This is usually where Tamara talked to Alessa. Why would it be different now?

"Where are you!?" he snarled. "I want her _back_, you bitch! Bring her to me right-"

"That's no way to speak to _me_, Hiei, Jagan Master of the Mekkai."

He spun toward the mirror once more, Jagan Eye glowing with demon energy. Alessa was there, all right, coming out of the new full-view mirror on the wall. Materializing in front of him. Brave girl.

She was pale and both her hair and eyes were dark. She wore all white robes, sleeves draped until they touched the floor. On the side of her neck, Hiei could see burns that he knew were extremely painful.

Her sleeves and the front of her clothing were bloody. She held a bundle, in bloody grey cloth, to her chest.

"Your child will be safe," Alessa told him. "She will be returned to Tamara's womb upon her departure."

"Hn. So you're the Holy Mother." He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and took a step forward, acting as if he hadn't heard a word the woman had just said. "Let Tamara go."

He saw her smirk, but only briefly. "It is not my decision for Tamara to be free. She belongs to the Assumption."

"And the Assumption belongs to you, right?"

"No. Walter's world is combined with my own, but I let him keep his own rules within mine. Like a state in a country's central government."

"Do you not know what he's doing?" Hiei growled. "Do you not know what you're allowing to take place?"

"Tamara knew the consequences of her actions, Hiei." How could she act so calmly? "I warned her. Either way, she was going to be punished."

"How long?" he asked. His hands went to his sides and became fissts. "How long, then, will we have to endure this misery?"

"Well, for you, it will be endured all night." she absently looked down at the bundle in her hands, and rocked it. "For her, it will be all day. It's impossible for him to rape her when she needs to feed."

"_What_?" He suddenly could feel the pain of someone biting hard into his neck repeatedly, breaking skin and drawing blood. The sun _was_ down now, he supposed. Guess it was time.

"Although she is bound to her apartment, I will not let her go hungry, either. The bogeyman will be sure to feed her at night."

"And her transformations?"

"I'm sure she will choose to stay in her monstrous form even after feeding, if she wants to heal her wounds. Even though the Assumption won't let her die. But because of her recent diet in this world, I fear that it will be harder to satisfy her in the Otherworld."

The arousal the fire demon felt was forced. He was seriously trying to stimulate her. Hiei had to try his best to block it out. He swore he could hear her begging for mercy, struggling at the cost of her arms and legs.

He growled again. "What the hell am I feeling at my arms and legs, anyway?" he asked, shaking his head. "What the fuck is this?"

"Would you like to see? You'll know everything if you do that."

He hesitated. Tamara had told him not to look. Said he'd see something terrible. But… Tamara… she was…

"It's only barbed wire, demon." She was smirking again. "Block out what she feels. Try and figure things out. She's forgotten her mysterious photo album, you know. Do your research."

"By looking at pictures?"

"There's more than pictures in that scrapbook. Tamara has everything about both Otherworlds in there. Take a look for yourself."

She turned around then, and began to merge back into the mirror. He didn't try to stop her. If what Tamara said was true, then this Holy Mother was a god. She could not be destroyed or injured.

But he _was_ going to take said god's advice, and look in that damn scrapbook. Not like he could get in trouble if Tamara wasn't here.

He was going to have to wait until the morning, though. He was in too much pain. He felt trapped. He felt lost. Like he would never be able to leave again. That this pain that he was all he would ever know.

Like his own wings had been broken.


	36. Chapter 35: The Otherworldly Scrapbook

**Hey, guys! Jorden the Jynx here! I am _sooooo_ sorry that I haven't updated in so long. College is kicking my ass here lately, and plus I'm working on other fics. **

**This chapter contains a lot of breaks, and it might be confusing. But because of future chapters, it's necessary that I do this. This chapter is for those of you who don't understand the concept of Silent Hill. And I don't mean the movies. I mean the real stories told in the videogames. It explains a lot about it, but I left a few things out. Would hate to make Tamara seem like she's obsessed with the games like I am .**

**Anyway, my disclaimers are in my profile! I hope that you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Five: The Otherworldly Scrapbook

_Blood._

She wanted _blood_.

The bedroom would never be normal again, she realized. The fan's shadow over her slowed to a stop. Wonder why that was.

She'd fainted twice while Walter had raped her. The rose was making her insane as well. Somehow she felt like it had already been three days. But that wasn't right… was it?

She was still bound, but the barbed wire had loosened enough to where she could move. It was still painful, though. Now she was caught about her waist, too. Damn that Walter. Trying to keep her still the best he could.

She was also wondering how she wasn't dead from blood loss; she wasn't even lightheaded. Was she dead, or was this something Walter had done? She was healing over and over again. It almost made her wonder if she would have any scars from this experience.

It didn't matter, really. She wanted blood. She needed flesh. She craved the beating hears of humans and demons alike.

How long had she been transformed, anyway? She sat up, no longer flinching from the barbed wire stabbing into her limbs, waist and sides. Where was Pyramid Head?

_Don't be too active, Tamara. Not when hungry._

She turned around, empty eyes burning. "Tamara is not here."

The bogeyman had two Sniffer Dogs. _There are no spare humans in the Otherworld or in Silent Hill. This is what you will have tonight._

The Sniffer Dogs seemed to know their fate. They came to the edge of the bed, sitting down and bowing their heads. She struggled, but somehow managed to get up and stand. So this was the limit of her mobility? Standing? Damn Walter again.

"I will want something larger tomorrow," she told him, before looking down at her prey. She reached down to pat them, trying to avoid them with her bladed fingers.

Her eyes were still burning. Seemed Tamara wanted to cry. "I am sorry, you two." Her inhuman voice echoed throughout the dark room. "So, very sorry."

* * *

Hiei knew she was a monster when he felt the hunger. The sun was going down. He'd blocked out most of the pain in the night, but his limbs and back were still sore. He really felt as though he was at a loss.

But hopefully he wouldn't be after he looked in that photo album.

Tamara kept it in a drawer in the end table on her side of the bed. Good thing she'd always trusted him, and didn't lock up the drawers before she'd gone away. She'd never know about this though. No way in hell. He'd be killed. Tortured first, even though that would be difficult, and then destroyed.

The scrapbook already looked worn with age. It was dark red and the covers were thick. There was no place for a photo on the front cover. He'd never noticed the indentation on the inside cover. It looked like it opened. Where the hell had she gotten this thing? It was like she had been trying to hide something else.

When Hiei managed to get it open, there was a small book inside. The leather covers were dry and cracked, and the pages yellowed. What was this? Hiei had never seen Tamara write in a journal…

The first half wasn't in her hand-writing. It was in chicken-scratch worse than her own. But the back half was all hers. Again, what was in here?

He skipped to Tamara's starting page, and began to read it quietly to himself:

* * *

_He's dead. Whoever had this before me is dead. I killed him, and stole his book and his camera and his pictures. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't immediate. I led him around this world for three days, letting him write and take his photos. But, unfortunately for him, my appetite caught up with me. I had to eat him. Last time I eat someone with kidney stones, by the way…_

_My name is Tamara. I'm seventeen. I'm a monster in something called the Otherworld. I live in Apartment 205 in South Ashfield Heights apartment complex. Great place, really. Now, on the next page I'll tell you all about this place and how it all started. But look at the pictures as you go. It helps. _

_Well, I love how I feel when I'm writing to someone else, at least so far. It isn't like anyone will ever see it. I guess it's just because I get lonely sometimes. There's only two people to actually talk to, and the one I like doesn't have a head. So yeah. I get lonely. But fighting can be good, you know. I get a lot of practice. Our only rule is no killing. We only kill outsiders. But anywho, let's move on…_

* * *

So Tamara constantly ranted when she was younger, too? At least the girl was social, he supposed.

Taking his eyes off of the journal for a moment, he turned to the page of the scrapbook, and his eyes widened. Tamara was in all eight photographs, either pointing or talking or loading her gun. But the backgrounds were all different. In a few she looked like she was indoors, and then in the woods. Hell, there was one where she looked like she was lying on the forest floor.

She looked different from when Hiei knew her. Her eyes were almost lifeless. Her face was gaunt again. He had to think back. Had her eyes been like that when they'd met? Almost like an animal, with nothing but instinct in her mind?

She only looked like that right after she turned back into her human form. After the monster had its fill.

* * *

_He's using time manipulation,_ Pyramid Head told her. _You know this place is strange like that._

She wasn't listening, sitting absolutely still as she watched the wounds on her legs heal. "Going to make me relive it, huh?" she asked aloud. "I hope he knows that _I'm _the real immortal here. No matter what he does, by sunrise, it's like it's never happened."

_Did you hear me?_

"Time manipulation. The Otherworld has always done this."

_To its victims, yes._

"I'm not a victim."

_Then why do you feel like you haven't fed in three days, when you finished only moments ago?_

The demon stopped, and painfully turned her head toward the bogeyman. "I am _not_ a victim of the Otherworld."

_Tamara, it may not be of the Otherworld, but maybe of Walter. You are his victim now._

She hissed, snapping her head back down. "I told you, Tamara is not here."

* * *

Hiei had looked through and memorized the pictures throughout the first half of the scrapbook. Tamara had been right. There are things here that no one should see.

Whoever had owned the camera had not just taken pictures of the seventeen-year-old girl. He'd seen many demons as well. At least, Hiei would have called them demons. Tamara would have just called them monsters. There were these weird, muscular things that could have been dogs, but their skin was green with rot and their tongues dragged the ground. Hiei was pretty sure that they didn't even have eyes, they were so disfigured.

But why hadn't this man died sooner? Tamara had once said that these dog things attact anything that was up for grabs…

Then again, this man had been her dinner, and not theirs.

He sighed, shaking off the thoughts of Tamara and the dogs and the other monsters. He had to read up on Silent Hill. And the Otherwor4ld. He opened up the journal again, sighing quietly as he settled into the pillows once more.

* * *

_The Otherworld originally began with this crazy cult called the Order. The Order is a cult of many sects, the ones mentioned here are called the "Order of Valtiel" and the "Order of the Holy Woman." The infamous serial killer Walter Sullivan was an Order member, in the Valtiel sect. I used to be a member myself. But let's stop all that. The main focus isn't the Order. It's what they __did_.

_Their main goal is to hurry up the end of the world. If they manage, then apparently they get access to Paradise. Their deity, known only as "God" or the "Sun God" (usually portrayed as a woman), was gonna come down to the earth and strike down the sinners. _

* * *

_That explains why there are nothing but women in the paintings_, Hiei thought, remembering the photos of various paintings in the scrapbook, and then continued:

* * *

_The Order used this goal to justify their own sins. They killed innocent people and beat the shit out of children. They burned teenagers for being different and accused them of witchcraft. Anything for "god."_

_There was a woman, however, who changed everything. Her name was Dahlia Gillespie. She was the leader of the Sect of the Holy Woman in a town called Silent Hill. It was a pretty decent place, minus the evil cult crawling around every shadow._

_Anyway, Dahlia had some sins on her plate as well. Poor bitch has been judged for it, too, I hope. It's all her fault that I'm here. Well, it's her fault that Ashfield had its own Otherworld, anyway. _

_Dahlia had a daughter, but she wasn't married. A daughter with dark hair and eyes. A daughter that was born with psychic powers that were so powerful that she was singled out. Her name was Alessa Gillespie. And she changed the fate of Silent Hill._

* * *

Wait… Alessa? She'd once been human? Gods were not born of human beings… he kept reading. Surely Tamara explained.

_Alessa wasn't exactly popular growing up. Her powers made her an outcast. She was hated for what she was. The other kids mocked her, calling her a witch and a devil and a freak. They even picked on her because she didn't have a dad like the rest of them._

_The Order knew what she was. Dahlia did, too. Alessa was the Holy Mother, the Mother of God, the virgin who would give birth to their deity so that the Order could prosper again. That's why she had those powers. Because they were the abilities of the deity who'd been prophesized to return through a girl like her. And a certain ritual had to be performed. _

_Honestly, I don't know much about the ritual itself, except that it's supposed to impregnate the Holy Mother with the god. Other than that, I only know that Dahlia performed it alone in their house, and made it look like an accident._

_After her prayers and other bullshit, Dahlia set her house on fire while Alessa was sleeping inside. Her own fucking daughter. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Who does that to their __seven_ _year old daughter?_

_Alessa didn't die. Not everyone in Silent Hill was bad. She was saved by a firefighter, her entire body burned up and black._

_But there were Order members in Alchemilla Hospital. Or, I think there were. They hid Alessa in the basement there, and Dahlia and the others were bribing a doctor. Everyone else thought Alessa had died in the fire._

_But, as much as it sucks, she survived. And the ritual had been a success. She was pregnant. And she was just a little girl. _

_At least they'd declared Alessa a "saint." The Mother of God and the Daughter of God. What a load of bullshit. Then again, they learned soon enough what a saint she was._

_The director of Alchemilla Hospital was named Michael Kaufmann, knew about Alessa. He had ties with the order that was centered around drugs. He bribed a nurse (Ms. Lisa Garland, if I'm not mistaken) with narcotics so she could keep an eye on her. Sucks that she looked at Alessa wrong and Alessa took her eyes out using nothing but her mind._

_Alessa couldn't give birth to the god inside of her; she'd been too young. She was kept alive with her mother's witchcraft and the powers of the deity. The "demon" as I call it, was eating away at her soul, and ripping her mind apart. It's actually portrayed as evil and cruel, this god. At least, that's what all the books say. _

_She used her powers after seven years, used them to expel the god and send it away with the only bit of goodness she had left. And for seven more years, Dahlia kept Alessa in agony to lure the "new" Holy Mother to them to combine them once and for all. _

_To keep this from happening, Alessa once more used her powers and her hatred and her spite to take out the whole town. In the real world, Silent Hill is a toxic wasteland. But the Order members (not all, Dahlia and a few others got out) are trapped there. Already dead, but they don't know that. They still fight for their god, claiming Alessa's ritual as a failure. In my opinion, I think that they know better. They all do. They're just delusional, being in their own hell and all._

_Dahlia was returned to Silent Hill, but not before leaving her influence on a single young mind. She moved to another sect, the Valtiel sect that was in Ashfield. She told a young orphan named Walter Sullivan that the only way to "wake up" his mother was to perform the 21 Sacraments ritual._

_That isn't the fucked up part about that, though. Walter had been born in an apartment and abandoned in it. Dahlia told Walter that his mother was __literally__ the apartment he'd been found in after birth. And Walter believed it, and still does._

_Poor Walter. He grew up having that cult's beliefs shoved down his throat. He didn't run away like I did. He stayed. He didn't leave the Wish House, the orphanage in Ashfield that was run by the Valtiel sect) until he was eighteen. He got a job at a pet store during college, but got fired for killing the animals there. That almost breaks __my__ heart._

_Anyway, when Walter began killing, he took the hearts of the first ten of his victims. The ritual calls for it. I don't know the names of what they symbolize, but 11/21 is the one called the "Assumption." This is the suicide part. Walter killed himself for the ritual, or so they say, when he was in jail. There is a body, but it's here and not in the real world. The grave, which is actually in Silent Hill, is empty. But he's here._

_Walter Sullivan is the ruler of this Otherworld, and will start killing again soon. Right now he's still attempting to understand the world he's created. Which means chopping us into little pieces sometimes._

_Unfortunately, though, it's not the same. Now we go all nightmarish at night, the way Silent Hill does. Alessa consumed the Otherworld here, Walter's world. I guess it's more roaming around for me, but Walter isn't happy with it, even though it's been two years now. He thinks his mother is the "Holy Mother" and Alessa is a fraud. I think she's more real than the apartment he thinks gave birth to him. Apartment 305, above mine, in fact. _

_My question is this: Since Walter doesn't believe in who Alessa really is, with him being a devout believer and all, doesn't that make him a blasphemer?_

* * *

Hiei kept reading, but only skimmed the part talking about the Wish House. She'd already explained on that. Instead he read about the monsters and their weaknesses. There was also information about the Silent Hill monsters and even Pyramid Head. Hm.


End file.
